IND vs ENG: We need coaches who can help during bad times, says Umesh Yadav

At a time when the Indian spinners are bowling tremendously well in tandem, accounting to 60 England wickets as against the medium-pacers' 20 in the current series against England, a specialist bowling coach may not be a priority. Neither is he being missed by the bowlers, particularly the medium-pacers as the Virat Kohli-led team have legendary Anil Kumble as chief coach and former all-rounder Sanjay Bangar as batting coach.

Bangar doubles up with his inputs on bowling as he has been a medium-pacer himself. Umesh Yadav, one of India's key new ball operators, was encouraged to bowl fast, which is his strength, when Bharat Arun was the bowling coach between August 2014 and the end of the ICC World T20 earlier this year.

Asked if the absence of a bowling coach in the Indian team is being felt, the right-arm pacer Yadav said on Saturday, "Actually, I think at this stage it doesn't matter that much but still we need coaches who can help us during the bad times or bad sessions. I think Anilbhai and Sanjay Bangar are there. They know about bowling. Bangar was a medium-pacer, he bowled a lot in his time. He gives idea all the time on how to bowl on these types of wickets.

He has played a lot of first-class matches and his ideas are also good. Whenever we feel we are disturbed or not getting better spells, we just talk to Anilbhai or Sanjaybhai. they can help us any time or in any situation."

Yadav bowled his heart out on the Chepauk pitch that had little to offer, captain Virat Kohli using him in short spells of three to four overs. Yadav finished with 2/73 in 21 overs as England piled up 477.

"It is very difficult to bowl on this track because the ball is not turning that much. Unlike a typical Chennai wicket, it is a little bit different. They got some quick runs, but I think the ball is not turning that much. That is the problem, we can't get wickets and that momentum," Yadav said when asked what went wrong post lunch as they managed only one wicket in that session and conceded 100 runs.

About himself in these conditions, the 29-year-old from Nagpur said: "Actually, my strength is my pace only. I have been bowling for a long time, now I am trying to control my line and length also, whatever I am learning from my past mistakes, I am just trying to keep learning and trying to learn where I have to bowl on this particular wicket and what is my strength. I'm trying to get better. It is all about how many matches I have played, I have kept bowling and bowling and that's why I am getting better now."

Yadav understands that, with India trailing by 417 and all 10 first innings wickets in hand, his team has to bat long on Sunday and Monday. "There are three more days. Let's see. If we bat well and bat long, obviously, we will try to bowl them out in the next innings. Let's see how the wicket behaves, if it turns after the third day. I think there is still some interest left in the game," he said.