IPL 2022: Umesh Yadav is currently the Purple Cap holder in the ongoing tournament, taking nine wickets in the first four matches of Kolkata Knight Riders.
Umesh Yadav of Kolkata Knight Riders. (courtesy: BCCI/PTI)
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- Umesh Yadav is currently the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2022
- Yadav has already won two Player of the Match awards.
- KKR are the table toppers in the current tournament
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spinner Sunil Narine has heaped praise on Umesh Yadav, saying the pacer has made life easier for those working in the middle overs. The 34-year-old Yadav is currently the Purple Cap holder in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL), taking nine wickets in KKR’s first four matches in the tournament.
Yadav didn’t have much to do in the last two seasons, playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC). However, playing for the Knights, the fast bowler has handled the command of the new ball with great skill.
The 33-year-old Narine, who has been with the Men in Gold and Purple since 2012, said that the spinners find it easier to bowl at the later stage of the powerplay after the opening wicket. Twitcher talks about Yadav and his performance ahead of KKR’s match against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, April 10.
“The way our fast bowlers are bowling, especially Umi (Umesh Yadav), I think he is doing a great job. Once you come into the attack with the wickets falling, it’s in the game for us. It becomes a little easier to land. The main thing is to keep it simple, and to continue what we are doing,” Narayan was quoted as saying.
Umesh Yadav in full flow
In the Knights’ first four matches, Umesh won the player of the match award twice against four-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mayank Agarwal’s Punjab Kings (PBKS). Against the Punjab team, Yadav had the best of 4/23. Yadav has been an important member of India’s pace attack over the years, especially in Test cricket.