Never had any communication problems with selectors - Umesh Yadav

India cricketer Umesh Yadav has said that he has never had any problems regarding communication with the selectors. This comes after Murali Vijay and Karun Nair had stated recently that they received no communication from the selectors after getting dropped from the Indian team.

The competition for places in the Indian cricket team has been very tough in the past few years — especially in the bowling department and that has seen Umesh being in and out of the squad on a regular basis. In an interview to a cricket website, Umesh said that he has been always informed by the team management whenever he is not part for a series.

“The communication is there. Like, in England, I played the first Test. In the second Test, they felt they should play a spinner, but with the rain all plans were changed. Nobody can do anything about it. Their decision went a little bit wrong. Still, they had told me, ‘It’s not that we are dropping you, Umesh. But our thinking and planning is for an extra spinner, that’s it,’ Umesh told ESPNCricinfo.

“Then, when Bumrah got fit, he was coming in after already having done well in South Africa. And in the first match, Ishant (Sharma) and (Mohammed) Shami had performed well, so they had to get the nod [ahead of me]. Then they kept doing well, so I also knew that it would be difficult to get a chance. I couldn’t even say, “I should get a chance”, because the guys were taking 20 wickets in every match. I knew I would have to wait for my chance. After playing for a few years, I have that much honesty and awareness to know when I should get a chance and when I shouldn’t,” he added.

The right-arm pacer said that sometimes even if a player is performing well, he has to sit out as the selectors and team management has to pick the playing XI according to the opposition and also the conditions. Umesh also said that he doesn’t complain whenever he is not picked as he knows if he bowls well,chances will come his way.

“Sometimes the team combination is such that you have to sit out,” Umesh said. “The selectors and our management committee also wouldn’t want me to sit out. They know Umesh is bowling well, so they also feel bad telling me that I have to sit out. But if your team combination doesn’t sit right, then it will be an even bigger problem. I can’t complain. I have also got lots of chances, I’ve played lots of Tests continuously.”

“Yes, the hope is always there that if you have done well in India, you get a chance outside, where you have better opportunities to take wickets. But that chance has gone now and I can’t do anything about it. Now I need to give such strong performances when I get the opportunity that people will have to think that I have to play,” he added

After sitting out for the Asia Cup 2018, Umesh played his part in India’s record-breaking win against West Indies in the first Test at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. The hosts thumped Windies by an innings and 272 runs to go 1-0 up in the two-match series.

First Published: Oct 06, 2018 16:40 IST