'Will be fun to bowl with Shami, Mohit for Gujarat Titans'

Indian pacer Umesh Yadav said that it will be fun to bowl for Gujarat Titans (GT) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) with teammates Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma, with whom he formed the pace attack duing Cricket World Cup in 2015.

Umesh Yadav was sold to Gujarat Titans (GT) for Rs 5.8 crore after bidding competition with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL auction in Dubai on Tuesday.

"It has been quite a while since Shami, Mohit Sharma and me were part of the 2015 World Cup squad. Those memories are coming back. The way Shami is bowling now, I feel we will have a lot of fun. We have had a partnership with the red ball and I feel he will be bowling with the new ball. So, we will have to work on strategies for the middle overs," Umesh said on JioCinema.

Umesh has taken 12 wickets for India in nine T20Is. Overall in his short-format career, Umesh has taken 193 wickets in 186 matches, with the best figures of 5/18.

Talking about getting picked by one-time champion GT, Umesh said he is excited to work with coach Ashish Nehra.

"My recent experiences at the auction have been quite bad because I went unsold in the first two rounds and was picked only in the third round in 2022. But I am very happy now.

“The main thing for me was to get picked. I know all the teams were looking out for Indian fast bowlers, so I knew I would go somewhere, but to go to a team where Ashish Nehra is the coach is great. I have worked with him previously and know the way he trains players and the way he manages the atmosphere in the dressing room," he said.

Umesh said that after playing for Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for six years each, it will be tough for him to start all over again.

"You have to deal with a new management, new team, and a new environment. So, all these factors have to be considered. I take some time to open up to people. But I feel this will be the best team for me because Shami and Mohit are there. They are my old friends and we'll get a chance to play together," Umesh said.