3 min readOct 14, 2026 01:58 PM IST
After two years out from First-Class action and three years since his last appearance for India, Umesh Yadav marked his return last week during the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 opening round. Once hailed as the ‘Vidarbha Express’, the 38-year-old starkly marked his domestic appearance with a switch in states, moving on as a professional player representing Punjab.
The veteran pacer is the first guest player signed up by Punjab, ending the Nagpur-born pacer’s long-standing association with Vidarbha. Picking up a five-wicket haul in the first innings against Assam in New Chandigarh, the 2013 Champions Trophy winner made a fine return. However, Umesh recently opened up on his sour ending with Vidarbha as he aimed to chart his way back from a serious injury.
Umesh likened his situation to the injury-ridden Mohammed Shami, his former teammate, who has also found himself out of the national radar since last year. Unlike Shami, Umesh said that he had failed to find the same backing from his home state association upon return from the injury.
“Shami had an Achilles tendon issue where 20% was affected, along with a little heel bone injury at the back. Mine was 50%; it ruptured and tore apart, and had to be stitched back together with grafting. After that, when I made a comeback, it took me a full year just doing rehab. Because during rehab, one or two other niggles crop up that you might not even know about. But all those things happened. Still, Shami came back and played, but he got support from his state (Bengal), whereas I got the opposite,” Umesh told Times Now.
“When I came back, I didn’t get that kind of support and backup from there that should have been given. There, it was more about getting Umesh out of the picture. The (Vidarbha) coach was very happy, thinking, ‘There’s only one guy left, one senior left. If he goes out, my word will be heard everywhere and whatever I say will happen.’ Those things happened,” the 38-year-old said.
Umesh, who made his debut in 2006, insisted that players like him and Shami deserve a clear communication from the selectors, affirming that the hunger to perform was the same as ever.
“Look, I don’t think it’s ever too late. It depends. I feel any selection should be based on a player’s performance and fitness, not age criteria. Because if you feel that a guy’s age is 37 or 38, and he can’t run or bowl, then it’s okay to say straightforwardly, ‘Brother, you can’t do it anymore; neither is your ball doing the talking, nor are you bowling as fast, and in the field too, you don’t look as fit as you used to.’ You can say that straight away.
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“If you, as a selector, have thought of something, pass it on to the player. That’s much better than not communicating and leaving them unsure whether you’ll select them. Just speak clearly; that’s much better than living in false hope that it will happen. If things are crystal clear, you can choose a better next step. But everyone knows-who doesn’t want to represent their country again, who doesn’t want to make a comeback?” he added.
