'Keep it up champion' - Twitter lauds KKR pacer Umesh Yadav for his excellent show so far in IPL 2022

After going down to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a low-scoring thriller, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have stunned the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Their bowling has stepped up yet again to skittle the opposition for just 137 runs in the 19th over of the innings. And the man leading the pack was their new ball bowler Umesh Yadav.

The Vidarbha pacer had picked up four wickets in the last two matches and also won the Player of the Match award against CSK in the season opener. On Friday (April 1), he spit venom with every delivery he bowled yet again to leave the Kings’ power-hitting batting line-up reeling. Umesh yet again scalped the opposition opener in the first over of the game. This time it was Mayank Agarwal’s turn who was pinned in front of the stumps.

Umesh Yadav is generally expected to do well with the new ball and then not many back him to do well in the second half of the innings. But that wasn’t the case in this game. He returned for the second spell and scalped a crucial wicket of Liam Livingstone in the ninth over.

Umesh ended his spell with wickets of Harpreet and Rahul

The carnage didn’t end their as Umesh Yadav capped off his four-over spell with two more wickets to his name. He uprooted Harpreet Brar’s off-stump with a brilliant delivery and in the same over, dismissed Rahul Chahar for a duck to destroy any chances of a PBKS comeback. Umesh Yadav ended with the figures of 4/23 in his four overs including a maiden over.

He dons the purple cap by a long way now having picked up a massive 8 wickets in three outings at an average of 7.39. His economy is also excellent as he has more often than not kept the opposition batters on the tenterhooks with his variations and pace. Umesh Yadav had spoken about making a comeback in the Indian team in the limited-overs format with his performances in the IPL and certainly, he is walking the talk now, at least in terms of his show with the ball.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

.@y_umesh played just 2 games in last 2 seasons in the IPL. And even with the Indian team he only gets a game when someone's injured or rested. But such is his attitude that you never see him complain. Warms my heart to see him do well. One of the good guys. #KKRvPBKS #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/MFDwiNgJWr

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) April 1, 2022

Purple cap holder – Umesh Yadav – the hero so far for KKR. pic.twitter.com/tQW2aSaEnL

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 1, 2022

Can anyone not be happy for Umesh Yadav. Only 2 games in the last 2 years and already 8 wickets in 3 games. He is bowling as well as he has

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 1, 2022

Umesh Yadav was not picked in initial auction rounds

And today he is one of the leading wicket takers of IPL.

Moral : Trust yourself, even when no one else does. #KKRvsPBKS

— Amit Mishra (@MishiAmit) April 1, 2022

Strong man @y_umesh in purple form for team purple and gold @KKRiders 💥💥💥💥 4 wickets good to see him so doing well.. keep it up champion #KKRvPBKS

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 1, 2022

Brilliant from Shreyas to call Umesh for 9th over. Umesh is in red hot form.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 1, 2022

I just want a redemption like Umesh Yadav man. Watta bowler

— Kane Basu (@notacricketfan) April 1, 2022

Hope @y_umesh continues his fine performance throughout this season. #purplecap #TATAIPL #umeshyadav #IPL2022

— Abhijeet Desai (@ADesai0823) April 1, 2022