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India v/s England: Pace comes with disadvantage: Umesh Yadav

Umesh's real journey began Down Under soon after 2015 World Cup in Australia, though he made his Test debut in the home series against West Indies in 2011, grabbing 18 wickets.

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Virat Kohli's insistence on playing Umesh Yadav ahead of many others in the team has his own reasons. It is Umesh's speed, more than anything else, which fancies everyone in the dressing room. The purpose is simple, let him rattle other batters with his extra pace in team's bid to soften up the opponent's guard a bit before spinners are put into attack.

Umesh's real journey began Down Under soon after 2015 World Cup in Australia, though he made his Test debut in the home series against West Indies in 2011, grabbing 18 wickets.

He may not have acquired the tag of an intelligent bowler till date (63 wickets in 23 Tests), but his consistent line and ability to generate a bit of extra bounce on dead Indian tracks has made him hit with the think-tank.

Saturday was no different when Umesh consistently clocked over 140 kmph on Mohali track which has off late been only made for spinners. It was his efforts, along with that of Mohammed Shami, that helped Team India restrict England to a par total of 268 for eight after the tourists won a crucial toss.

Knowing well that this Mohali wicket has now developed a habit of finishing Test matches in a span of three days, Umesh feels that situation would have been different had it not been a disciplined bowling by the hosts.

"It's a bit cold and there's some moisture in the wicket. The ball is moving. It's not that if the wicket is flat the new ball won't swing. New ball will swing if you have faith. Me and Shami know that we can swing it till the ball is new," said the 25-year-old speedster from Nagpur.

Contrary to the expectations that ball will spin from the word go, Umesh said that "there was not much turn on Day One".

"I think England's position could have been better as our spinners were not getting enough turn. It was easy to play spinners," was how he described the first day's wicket here in Mohali.

Umesh has the ability to generate pace with the old ball. Going back to Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla Test against South Africa last year where he picked five wickets, including that of Dean Elgar and JP Duminy, his well built and powerful shoulders have passed the test with flying colours.

He attributes his consistency to his discipline and continuous hunger to talk to his seniors. "I am improving day-by-day with more matches that I am playing. I discuss it with my coaches (Anil Kumble and Sanjay Bangar). They advise me to bowl in one particular area. My impact area is outside the off-stump from where I can bowl my out swingers and make the batsmen play a lot more. Pace comes with a disadvantage. If you don't pitch it right, you will go for runs," came the answer.

Talking about how big a factor is toss in Indian conditions, the Vidarbha bowler said that "planning and execution is as important as getting lucky with the coin".

"Toss is a factor obviously, but planning and execution is equally important by bowlers and fielders." India, in that sense, were lucky to have got eight wickets on Saturday especially after wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja dropped four crucial catches in England's first knock.

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