Umesh Yadav

Umeshkumar Tilak Yadav (born 25 October 1987) is an Indian cricketer who currently plays for Vidarbha cricket team, Indian national team, Essex and Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League.

Then, in the year 2007, having previously only ever played tennis ball cricket, Yadav joined Vidarbha Gymkhana (club affiliated to VCA; established in 1969 by J.A. Karnewar) and first time began bowling with a leather ball in Guzder League 'A' Division cricket tournament organised by Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA).

Pritam Gandhe, Vidharbha's Ranji trophy team captain, supported Yadav and ensured he represented Air India in a Twenty20 tournament.

Of Yadav's early career, Gandhe remarked: "He was raw and wayward. But he was really quick – too quick. I thought that if he lands at least three out of six balls in line with the stumps, he will trouble batsmen."

A right-arm fast bowler, Yadav has played for Vidarbha at domestic level since 2008 and is the first player from the team to have played Test cricket.

On 3 November 2008, Yadav made his first-class debut for Vidarbha against Madhya Pradesh in the 2008–09 Ranji Trophy.

His first wicket was that of Himalaya Sagar who was out bowled; Yadav did not bowl in Madhya Pradesh' second innings, but in the first claimed four wickets for 72 runs (4/75) as his team lost by ten wickets.

He played in four of Vidarbha's Ranji matches that season, taking 20 wickets at an average of 14.60 with best figures of 6/105.

Also in the 2008/09 season, Yadav made his one-day debut.

From playing for Vidarbha, Yadav was selected to represent the Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy in his first season.

He made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Zimbabwe in May 2010.

The following year, in November, Yadav made his Test debut against the West Indies.

Umesh was signed by Delhi Daredevils in 2010 and played for the franchise for four seasons.

In May 2010, Yadav was called into India's squad for the World Twenty20 in place of the injured Praveen Kumar, but did not go on to play in the tournament.

Later that month, he was included in the squad to play a tri-nation ODI series in Zimbabwe against the hosts and Sri Lanka.

India sent an under-strength squad with nine first-choice players either rested or injured.

Yadav made his ODI debut in the tournament during India's loss to Zimbabwe, a team ranked tenth by the ICC at the time.

Defending a score of 285, Yadav bowled eight wicketless overs while conceding 48 runs.

Playing in three matches, Yadav took a single wicket.

After the tri-series in Zimbabwe, Yadav returned to the fringes of the team.

He was included as a practice bowler when India toured Sri Lanka in July to gain experience of bowling to Test batsmen.

He would have to wait until October 2011 before his next international match.

He was the fourth highest wicket-taker in the 2012 IPL with 19 wickets from 17 matches at an average of 23.84.

Yadav was a member of the team that won the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.

On 16 April 2013, Umesh got engaged to Delhi-based fashion designer Tanya Wadhwa, and they were married on 29 May 2013.

The couple have two daughters born in January 2021 and March 2023 respectively.

Initially Umesh had troubled family life as his brother was acquitted in a robbery case.In his early years he moved from Jharkhand to Nagpur.

Ahead of the 2014 season, Umesh was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders.

He was the highest wicket-taker for India and third highest overall in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup.

He played for the side for four season before being released ahead of the 2018 IPL auction during which he was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore.

He took 20 wickets from 14 matches in 2018.

He holds the record of the highest strike rate in an innings in Test cricket after scoring 31 runs in 10 balls at a strike rate of 310 against South Africa in October 2019.

Before becoming a professional cricketer, Umesh unsuccessfully applied to join the army and the police force.

Yadav tried to make a place in his college cricket team but was refused because he did not play for any club.

In January 2019, in the first semi-final of 2018/19 Ranji Trophy against Kerala, he gave his career-best performance of 7/48 in the first innings and then returned with figures of 5/31 in the second innings, and ended the match with career-best figures of 12/79 which sailed Vidarbha to the Ranji Trophy final.

In 2019 he took eight 8 wickets from 11 matches and in 2020 only played in two matches.

Umesh was released by RCB ahead of the 2021 IPL auction and was bought by Delhi.

In February 2022, he was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the auction for the 2022 Indian Premier League tournament.

In 2022 he gave best performance of his IPL career by taking 4 wicket against Punjab Kings.

In 2024, he will play for Gujarat Titans after being released by KKR.