New Delhi: Fast bowler Umesh Yadav on Tuesday said that the current Indian bowling unit has the ability to take 20 wickets in a Test match when they tour South Africa early next year.
“The wickets in South Africa will put the focus back on the fast bowling unit and rightly so. There will be a lot of expectation from us and I believe this attack has the ability to get 20 South African wickets. All of us had a good 14 months at home and it’s time to translate into overseas success,” said Yadav during an interview with PTI.
The right-arm pacer is optimistic about his team’s bowling as they have been pretty successful on tracks that haven’t quite assisted them at home.
He added, “I believe good fitness, proper plans were key to our success in the sub-continent. But the main thing is the attitude with which you enter the field. If we can maintain it in South Africa, no one can stop us.”
Cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar had in a column urged Yadav to bowl a line where most of his deliveries aren’t left.
But Yadav, who is one short of completing 100 Test wickets said that his natural strength is the outswinger, much like the great Kapil Dev.
“Like Kapil Dev, my natural delivery is outswinger. If I try to bowl too many incoming deliveries, it can lead to me losing my outswinger, which I don’t want. Obviously, there will be a few change-ups with incoming deliveries but outswinger remains my core strength,” he said.
Earlier, the Indian pacers for carried away when they had pacer-friendly wickets to bowl on during overseas tours but Yadav said that it isn’t happening this time around.
““During earlier tours, we were younger and expectedly more excited. But now, all of us – Ishant, Shami, Bhuvi and myself know how to curb our over enthusiasm. We will be assessing the conditions,” Yadav said.
“Like if it’s a hard and bouncy pitch, you have to hit the good length consistently while if it’s spongy bouncy then I will have to pitch it up,” he explained further.
The 30-year-old also said that the national selectors never categorised him as a ‘Test specialist’, keeping in mind the fact that he has played only nine ODIs this year.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah have performed well with the white ball in recent times and now the duo have become the first-choice pacers for India’s limited overs’ sides. But Umesh doesn’t want to think too much about the pattern of selection.
He said, “I can tell you that the national selectors have been quite aware of the workload on myself and Mohammed Shami. They have been very supportive and at no point have they told us that we are not in their scheme of things as far as limited-overs are concerned.”
He further added, “There have been times when we have gone upto the selectors and have asked for rest having bowled a lot of overs in Test matches. When you are playing all formats, there is bound to be more wear and tear.”
The Vidarbha speedster also reminded of the importance of taking care of niggles after Test matches.
“I also need to take care of my body and ensure that I remain as much injury free as possible. You don’t want to play with niggles and end up with major injury,” said Yadav, who has 40 wickets to his name in the last 17 Test matches he has played in the last 14 months.
There is indeed a competition in the Indian bowling unit now but Yadav isn’t insecure about his place in the team.
“You are not insecure when you are aware about your capacity to play. I know how much cricket I can play at length and when my body requires rest. If you know how to manage workload, you are never insecured.
“When you take a break, it’s only increases the longevity of one’s career and you can avoid career-threatening injuries,” he said.