Essex County Cricket Club has brought on board Umesh Yadav, an experienced fast bowler from India, to bolster their squad for the remaining three matches of the ongoing County Championship season. This seasoned pro will be stepping in for Doug Bracewell, the quick bowler from New Zealand. Umesh Yadav will be taking up the position of the second overseas player.
At the age of 35, an unfortunate quad injury occurred during a match against Gloucestershire in the One-Day Cup. This injury led him to complete his tenure on the field earlier than planned. The seasoned veteran is stepping in to fill the role of New Zealand’s fast bowler, Doug Bracewell, in the Essex team. He’s slated to become the second overseas player on the club, following Simon Harmer. Anticipating his participation in upcoming matches, he’s set to play in the lineup for the home games against his previous team Middlesex and Hampshire. Additionally, he’ll join the team for an away match against Northamptonshire.
Since joining Essex, Umesh Yadav stated his genuine excitement about contributing to the rest of the tournament with the team. Fondly recalling his earlier experience with Middlesex, he noted how amazing it felt to come back and compete in the unique English playing conditions.
“I am really pleased to join Essex and make what I hope will be some valuable contributions to the team’s success this year. I enjoyed playing in England with Middlesex last season, and it will be good to return and test myself in those conditions again, especially in the midst of a title race,” Umesh was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
Umesh Yadav is a great signing for us: McGrath
Essex’s head coach, Anthony McGrath, shared his delight with the acquisition of Umesh. He’s confident about the veteran player bolstering their bowling squad in the next bouts.
“Umesh is a superb signing for us, and we all know what he will be able to bring to our attack at a crucial time of the season. He is vastly experienced and has taken wickets at the top levels of the game for more than a decade now, so as well as contributing during our run-in, we hope he can pass on some of his wisdom to our young players too,” McGrath said.
Umesh Yadav has claimed a total of 288 wickets while representing India in International matches. He attained this milestone across 57 Test matches, 75 ODIs, and nine T20Is. His last appearance in a competitive match was during the World Test Championship final versus Australia at The Oval in London. Unfortunately, India lost that match by a score of 209 runs.
