Umesh Yadav utilised his opportunity to the fullest when he played in the second warm-up match against Australia in Cardiff on Tuesday. Rested for the first warm-up against Sri Lanka in Birmingham on June 1, Yadav made himself count with a brilliant five-wicket haul that consigned Australia to a humiliating 242-run defeat, just days before the ICC Champions Trophy kicks off on June 6.
The right-arm pace bowler took five for 18 as Australia were all out for 65, chasing 309 for a win. The newly-married Yadav bowled in the right areas to send back Matthew Wade, David Warner, Phillip Hughes, stand-in skipper George Bailey and Mitchell Marsh. This was the first time that the 25-year-old bagged a five-wicket haul in a limited overs match. Unfortunately, this match won't enter the record books.
This is not the first time that Umesh has picked up a five-wicket haul against Australia. The Vidarbha pacer came into prominence in India's Test tour of Australia in 2011-12. He bagged his one and only fifer in international cricket when he played against Australia on a pacy Perth wicket in January 2012. He scalped 14 Australian wickets in the four-match series, which India lost 4-0. In his nine Tests, Yadav has taken 32 wickets at an average of 32.50.
Yadav has 18 wickets in 17 ODIs. His best figures are 3 for 38 on his debut against Zimbabwe in 2010.
His good form in domestic cricket earned him a contract with Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League in 2010. In this year's edition of the lucrative IPL, the right-arm bowler took 16 wickets in as many matches with a best of 4 for 24.
Yadav tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend Tanya Wadhwa on May 29, 2013. The low-key affair took place at Nagpur, a day before his departure for the ICC Champions Trophy in the United Kingdom. Tanya is a Delhi-based fashion designer.