Published 18:01 IST, January 18th 2020

Less workload with less game-time worrying, says Umesh as he eyes county stint

At a time when international bowlers are worried about their workload, India's Umesh Yadav lamented the lack of it, saying he is "playing lesser and lesser"

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At a time when international bowlers are worried about ir workload, India's Umesh Yadav lamented lack of it, saying he is "playing lesser and lesser" in top-flight. In fact, one of India's fastest bowlers is w eyeing a lengthy stint in county cricket in order to have more miles in his legs. A part of India's fearsome pace quartet, Umesh does t feature in white-ball set-up w, and wants a bit of clarity from selectors as to how his game time can increase.

'Less workload with less game-time worrying'

"Workload manment is a balance that you strike when you are constantly playing matches. In my case, it's been opposite. I have played lesser and lesser in past two years (2018 and 2019). So re hasn't even been optimum workload for me," Umesh said.

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He is in city to play a Ranji Trophy game for Vidarbha. man who has 142 wickets from 45 Tests feels that at his , he needs to play more and more in order to stay in rhythm. "I am 31 years old and next four to five years are very important. If you look at my record. I played four Tests last year (2019) and before that ar four in 2018. In white ball, I played only one game last year.  "At this , more I bowl, better I will get. That's why I am playing five first-class (one vs Saurashtra after this game) to have some more workload," said man from Nagpur, who has 106 wickets from 75 ODIs.

"So in a World T20 year, after New Zealand tour, I have only IPL left and n cricket. If I am t selected for white-ball cricket, I have precious little to do n," said Umesh, who took 23 wickets in 4 Tests in 2019 and has w played three Ranji Trophy games.

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So why didn't he play county cricket when he is t in white-ball scheme of things" "I got a county offer last season (from Gloucestershire). y wanted me to play seven games but BCCI workload manment policy doesn't allow me to play more than two or three games. So deal didn't work out. Also I had some niggles to take care of after IPL." He would t mind playing county cricket this year as after New Zealand, India's next Test assignment is in Australia at end of year.

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" concern about county cricket is that if y have a professional playing for m, y would hand over ball to him and expect that bowler to send down maximum overs." When he plays Ranji Trophy, does he have any particular number of overs in mind, and he answered in negative. "I don't think you can go into a game thinking about that you will bowl a stipulated number of overs. If my body permits and situation demands, I can bowl 25 overs in a day also," said workhorse, who has toiled on tough sub-continental pitches. 

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18:01 IST, January 18th 2020