Out-of-favour India pacer eyes comeback after 2 years into Shubman Gill-Gautam Gambhir's set-up: 'Can't select myself'

The right-arm pacer is still hopeful of making a comeback into the Indian team and ready to play competitive cricket to stake a claim for his place.

Veteran fast bowler Umesh Yadav stated that he has put in the hard yards to earn another opportunity with Team India. He added that his focus now is on performing well in competitive matches to catch the selectors’ eye and make a strong case for a comeback. The right-arm bowler, who was once a pivotal part of the Indian pace set-up in red-ball cricket, has not played an international match since January 2023. A lot has changed since Umesh last played for India - Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have retired from Test cricket, while the other two veterans, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, are out of the Test set-up with minimal chances of a comeback in future.

The Shubman Gill-Gautam Gambhir era will begin with the Test series against England.(Hindustan Times)

With Shubman Gill leading a new era in the red-ball setup, the team is undergoing a significant transition, making it an uphill battle for someone like Umesh to break back into the squad amidst the changing dynamics. Umesh is currently on the road to recovery from a leg muscle injury and said that he has already started making efforts to get back on the field

The 37-year-old is still hopeful of making a comeback into the Indian team and is ready to play competitive cricket.

“Efforts to make a comeback are complete," Yadav told Sports Tak. “I cannot select myself. I will have to play some matches, get fit. To come back, I will have to play competitive cricket. My effort is to get fit and come back in the team," he added.

‘I never thought that, I would play for India’: Umesh Yadav

The seasoned pacer, who has played 57 Test matches and taken 170 wickets, revealed that representing India was never something he envisioned as a child when he first took up cricket.

“When I started playing cricket, I never thought that I will play this, I will play that, I would play for India. I am a natural fast bowler. I have been bowling fast since childhood. I never went to any academy or nets. That is why I never thought that I would play for India. I kept on playing. Someone told me to play this, someone told me to play that. While playing, the son of a coal miner is sitting here playing for India. I think some things that are meant to happen. I always say that fast bowlers are natural; you cannot turn someone into a fast bowler," he added.