We planned to bowl as many maidens as possible: Umesh Yadav

India after putting up 566 runs on the board bowled West Indies out for 243 in just over 103 overs and were in a position to enforce a follow on, their first in more than four years. After Amit Mishra and Mohammad Shami struck early blows it was Umesh Yadav who rubbed off the lower order resistance with his four-wicket haul.

The Indian bowlers bowled 28 maidens overs in West Indies’ first inning and 6 in the second inning following the day’s play pacer Umesh Yadav said that bowling maidens has been a part of their plan.

“When we came to the ground and saw the wicket, we realised we won’t get wickets where the ball will seam or swing,” Umesh said. “We knew the conditions would be pretty hard, especially because it was going to be hot as well.

“The main thing we planned was to bowl as many maidens as possible, and not give easy boundaries. Whether it’s the coach [Anil Kumble] or Virat [Kohli, the captain], the whole team sits and discusses the same thing, that it won’t be easy to take 20 wickets, and so it becomes very important to plan. And it can’t end there. If it’s said in the meeting that we have to bowl maidens, then we have to bowl maidens, because we know we won’t take 20 wickets otherwise.”

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They had the luxury of having a huge total on the board, but according to Yadav the Indian bowlers did not relax and were looking to bowl out the opposition as early as possible. “We don’t look at it like we have 566,” he said. “We look at it like we have only made 350, and the earlier we bowl them out, the better it is for us in the second innings. Our effort was that, if we got them out by the end of today, we would have two more days to bowl them out again.”

He said the bowlers have a good bond and push each other when things aren’t really going their way. “We always give that kind of confidence to each other, always we are pushing [each other],” he said. “Whenever things are a little difficult, we need to push our friend or team-mate a little bit, and lift them. When we see, for example, that [Mohammed] Shami is bowling very well but he’s not getting wickets, my job is, I go to him and say, “Shami, you’re bowling very well, keep going.” Because I know that if someone is bowling well from one end, then it helps the person at the second end, so if we don’t plan and bowl as a combination, it becomes difficult for us. Main thing is, you push each other and complement each other, and recognise that, “yeah, it’s not my day today [to take wickets], it’s your day”.

Mohammad Shami made a comeback after staying away for more than 18 months but made a successful comeback as he also bagged a four-wicket haul and gave India crucial breakthroughs. Yadav said that they were all confident that Shami would make an impressive return.

“There was no doubt about it, because he’s a natural bowler. We never thought he’ll struggle. If he struggled, it was only until he had recovered from his injury. No one has to tell him, bowl here, bowl like this. He’s a smart bowler, he’s got everything – outswing, inswing, bouncers.”

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