'Prince's ODI call-up is a well-deserved reward,' says Umesh Yadav on young pacer's rise
New Delhi, May 20
India's pace stalwart Umesh Yadav has heaped praise on the young Lucknow Super Giants bowler Prince Yadav, asserting that the rising pacer fully deserved his maiden ODI call-up.
The BCCI announced on Tuesday that Prince has been included in India's squad for the one-off Test and three-match ODI series against Afghanistan at home, scheduled next month, following an impressive IPL 2026 campaign.
"Prince Yadav's ODI call-up is a well-deserved reward for his performances this IPL season. He has put in serious hard work over the last year. What stands out is the variety he brings to his bowling. He knows exactly when to swing the ball and when to hit the hard length. That kind of game awareness is rare in young bowlers. He is not afraid to bowl bouncers. Whenever he senses the batter is comfortable, he goes short and asks a different question. That is a valuable skill, especially in white-ball cricket," Umesh said on JioStar.
In addition to pace and aggression, Prince Yadav boasts a repertoire of deliveries that make him a tricky proposition for batters. "He also has an accurate yorker and a well-disguised slower ball that often catches batters off guard. But his inswing is his real weapon. The way he got Virat Kohli with an in-swinging delivery was pure class," Umesh remarked.
Prince's selection comes after a stellar IPL season with Lucknow Super Giants, where he claimed 16 wickets and emerged as one of the team's most consistent performers. His performances in domestic cricket and the IPL over the past couple of years had already caught the selectors' attention, and this ODI call-up marks a significant step in his international career.
"I am genuinely happy to see him get his first India call-up. He has the talent, the skills, and the mindset to go a long way. If he stays fit and keeps learning, he can become a great asset for Indian cricket," Umesh added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I'm happy for Prince, but I hope the selectors don't make the mistake of rushing him into all formats. Look at what happened with Umran Malik. One good IPL season doesn't guarantee international success. Let him play ODIs first, gain confidence, then we can think about Tests.
As someone who follows cricket from abroad, this seems like another case of IPL performance outweighing domestic consistency. 16 wickets in IPL is decent but not earth-shattering. Indian domestic circuit has many bowlers with better stats. But Umesh's words carry weight. Let's see.
Umesh Yadav is a true legend for mentoring young bowlers like this. When senior pacers praise juniors, it shows good team culture. Prince's inswing to Kohli was indeed classy! But remember, international batters won't be as forgiving as IPL ones. Hope he's mentally ready.
Good for Indian cricket that fast bowling depth is growing. But I worry about workload management. Umesh himself has been injury-prone. If Prince is bowling quick and aggressive, BCCI must have a proper plan for his fitness. Otherwise we'll lose another talent to back injuries.
The way India is producing pace bowlers now, it feels like the golden era of Indian fast bowling! Prasad, Srinath, then Zaheer, now Bumrah, Shami, Siraj and young talents like Prince. Umesh's comment about game awareness is spot-on. 💪 Let's go Prince! 🏏
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