News Sports Cricket Australia vs India: Kaif prefers Umesh Yadav as third pacer for first Test

Australia vs India: Kaif prefers Umesh Yadav as third pacer for first Test

In Ishant Sharma’s absence, Kaif feels Umesh has gelled well with Shami and Bumrah and was impressive in the warm-up game.

Umesh Yadav Image Source : APFile photo of Umesh Yadav.

With less than three days to go for the beginning Australia vs India Test series, Virat Kohli and side head into the match with an array of pacers at their disposal. However, it will be difficult for the skipper to decide if he wants to go into the day/night affair with four pacers or three pacers and one spinner combination.

Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif feels that it’s better to go with the latter option while picking Umesh Yadav as third pacer — ahead of Mohammed Siraj and Navdeep Saini — along with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami as the other two fellow pacers; R Ashwin being the obvious spin option.

“For me, it will be Umesh Yadav because Ishant Sharma is not there who had played an important role when India won the series last time. He had gelled very well with Shami and Bumrah, the three fast bowlers plus Ashwin plus Vihari part-time off-spin. Ishant Sharma was bowling with the new ball,” Kaif said on a TV show.

More to follow...