'Very difficult to say if I'll play till next 5 years. Not sure about 100 Tests': Star India pacer on his future

The 34-year-old India star is a part of the Test contingent that faces England in the much-awaited one-off Test in July.

The recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) saw some of the finest fast-bowling talents rise to the occasion. While Umran Malik made headlines with his raw pace, left-arm bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Mohsin Khan bowled exceptionally well and troubled some of the world's greatest batters. The 10-team tournament lived up to its 'where talent meets opportunity' motto but also helped some experienced players stage a comeback.

Indian players celebrate the wicket of Joe Root (Getty Images)

India paceman Umesh Yadav, who was a part of Kolkata Knight Riders, made the ball talk in the early part of the competition. His IPL franchise didn't achieve a top-four finish but Umesh ended the season with 16 plucks in 12 games at 21.19. The former Delhi Capitals man showed his white-ball prowess and touched the 140 kph mark on a regular basis.

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The 34-year-old fast bowler is a part of India's Test squad that faces England in the much-awaited one-off Test but remains out of the limited-overs set-up. When asked about reaching the 100-Test milestone, Umesh said he is taking one step at a time and giving adequate importance to fitness levels.

"It's difficult to say whether I will play for the next five years. I am just thinking about my small goals with each passing year. Now I am 33 (34)... when I turn 36, a lot will depend on how my body reacts. If I stay injury-free, my body continues running. Once you get injured, you have to think about the recovery process. As of now, I am just thinking about playing good cricket and playing many more Test matches for the country," Umesh told Indranil Basu in a video shared on the SGTV YouTube channel.

"I am not sure about the 100th Test but I'll try to play as much as possible. Playing Tests has got a different kind of emotion. You make an impact if you say, 'I have played 70-80 Test matches for the country'. People think that you have got something, which has helped you achieve the milestone," he further added.

Umesh, who goes by the name 'Strongman' in the Indian dressing room, also earned praise from Harbhajan Singh. Talking about Umesh's performance in the IPL, the former India tweaker said new franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) gave Umesh the confidence to shine.

“Umesh Yadav has made a splendid comeback. Some players really benefit from being in the right team and with Umesh, it’s like he enjoyed playing for KKR. This team gave him that confidence.

"This was the Umesh Yadav we knew of. He was swinging the ball at 145 kph just like the old days,” Harbhajan said on Sportskeeda.