'He can bat at No.3' - Virat Kohli on Umesh Yadav’s new role in India batting order

Virat Kohli, the Indian skipper hailed speedster Umesh Yadav for the way in which he made his comeback into Team India. He also took a hilarious note over the fashion in which Umesh is currently bashing the bowlers with the bat. He comes to bat in the lower order and strikes the bowlers all around the park, leaving opposition bowling unit clueless.

Umesh was added into the squad as a replacement of Jasprit Bumrah in South Africa Test series. But, with the settled side, the chances of him making into the playing XI  were slim. However, he was picked for Pune Test and since then he has been playing in scintillating form with the bat as well as with the ball.

In four Test matches, he has grabbed as many as 23 wickets at an average of 13.65. He also took a five-wicket haul in the first-ever Day-Night Test that was played at Eden Garden against Bangladesh. He is currently having the highest average among the bowlers, who have played at least four Test matches in ICC Test Championship.

Virat Kohli is impressed with Umesh Yadav’s batting

Recently in an interview, Virat Kohli said that if Hardik Pandya is not fit for an overseas series. He can go with a combination of five bowlers and just one spinner because the way Umesh Yadav is contributing with the bat is amazing and can come out to bat at number three position or as a pinch hitter.

“If say Hardik is not fit as an all-rounder to play overseas, even if you play with five bowlers and just one spinner plays, you know as a batting unit, along with a keeper, and that one spinner either Ash (Ashwin) or Jaddu (Jadeja) ever plays, your batting till seven and then Umesh the way he is batting now, he can probably bat at No.3 as well as a pinch hitter (chuckles),” Virat Kohli said as quoted by India Today.

During the Test match played in Ranchi against South Africa, Umesh smashed 30 runs in just 10 balls with five massive sixes. It also forced the players sitting in the dressing room to stand praise his blissful batting. Coming onto the next Test series against Bangladesh, he played an impressive knock of 25 runs in 10 balls with one boundary and three sixes in the first Test. His inning of 31 runs in 10 balls against Proteas was the fastest 30+ score by any player in Test history.