IPL 2020: Flop XI of the first two weeks

10. Umesh Yadav (RCB)

The first of our two returning players from last week’s team is Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fast-bowler, Umesh Yadav. Virat Kohli had expected much from his senior Indian pacer, particularly during the powerplay, which has statistically been Umesh’s preferred period of bowling. 

This season, however, things didn’t start much promisingly for the 32-year-old Vidarbha seamer. In RCB’s season opener against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, he went wicketless and conceded 48 runs off his spell. The next game against Punjab didn’t get any better, as KL Rahul tonked him at all corners of the park to collect 35 runs of his sans-wicket 3-over spell.

RCB lost that match by 97 runs, and it seemed Kohli, too, had lost patience with Umesh. Gurkeerat Singh Mann has since replaced him, and with RCB notching up two wins on the trot, Umesh’s prospects of coming back to the playing XI appear rather bleak.