Umesh Yadav posts a cryptic Instagram Story after Test absence continues

Umesh Yadav seems to have been waiting eagerly to once again don the whites for India. The veteran pacer shared a cryptic post after the BCCI announced a new-look squad for the remaining three Tests of the ongoing England series at home. While Mohammed Shami continues to stay out of action due to injuries, the selectors have picked uncapped fast bowler Akash Deep, alongside the trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mukesh Kumar. India played with two pacers in the previous two Tests against England.

With Bumrah being a constant in both matches, Siraj featured in the series opener in Hyderabad and Kumar replaced him in the following game in Visakhapatnam. As the Indian team management was to make some modifications to the pace line-up, Yadav might have expected a call-up for the upcoming Tests against England.

When he failed to find a place in the 17-member squad, the 36-year-old took a sly dig at the selectors with a two-liner that he dropped as an Instagram Story. “Kitaabon par dhool jamne se, kahaaniyan khatm nahi hoti (If there is dust on the book, it doesn’t mean the story is over),” Yadav wrote.

The Vidarbha pacer last represented India in a Test in June last year, featuring in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. Going by his stats on home soil, no other Indian fast bowler has fetched as many wickets as Yadav since 2018. He has picked 43 wickets in 11 matches during that period. Overall in his career, Yadav has fetched a total of 101 scalps in 32 home Tests at an average of 25.88. He has been in exceptional form in the Ranji Trophy this season, having taken 19 wickets in four matches.

Considering his recent form, Bumrah is expected to feature in the upcoming third Test against England, scheduled to begin in Rajkot on 15 February. He took six wickets in the opening match before putting up a more enthralling show in the second Test. He claimed a total of nine wickets during the second Test including a six-wicket haul in England’s first innings. Thanks to his wicket-taking spree, India won the match by 106 runs to level the series.