The Gujarat Titans signed Umesh Yadav for Rs. 5.8 crore at the IPL 2024 auction that was held in Dubai. The Indian pacer has previously played for Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals. With 136 wickets, Umesh is constantly thriving among the top 10 Indian wicket-takers in the history of the Indian T20 league.
After his Delhi Capitals’ stint in 2013, he was bought by Kolkata and was their frontline bowler from 2014-2017. He was picked by Bangalore ahead of 2018 and he had a brilliant first season, where he featured in all 14 games, taking 20 wickets at 20.90. Three seasons later, he returned to Delhi. where his Indian T20 League journey began. He did not play in a single game that season and was released before the 2022 mega auction. This allowed Kolkata to pick him up for INR 2 crore and was worth every penny.
In the build up to IPL 2024, this Gujarat Titans pacer will be ready to lock horns with other opponents, but for now let us delve deep into his top bowling figures in Indian T20 League history –
Umesh Yadav made history in his side’s second game of the 2023 Indian T20 League as he picked up the most wickets by a player against any single opponent when he clipped the Punjab Kings for his 34th scalp – ending the game with figures of 1/27 off his four overs.
After Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and put Punjab Kings into bat, Tim Southee struck early to remove Prabhsimran Singh. However, the KKR bowlers struggled from that point onwards as Bhanuka Rajapaksa put up an 86-run partnership for the second wicket and skipper Shikhar Dhawan took over.
Buy tickets to our first 3 home games now
Head to https://t.co/w8wD9AKTF3 and see you at the Home of the Gujarat Titans 🏟️#AavaDe | #TATAIPL2024 pic.twitter.com/PfUiKvv5eJ
— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) March 7, 2024
Umesh Yadav got their first breakthrough as he got rid of Rajapaksa who went onto score fifties, his wicket proved to be a turning point and KKR obliged by flipping the Punjab Kings’ momentum which they had sustained despite losing early wickets to post a competitive 192 for six.
After his four overs he took one wicket and now stands alone, with the most wickets by a player against any single opponent in the history of Indian T20 League, with 34 wickets overhauling both Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine’s record of 33 vs Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab.
