Veteran Indian pacer Umesh Yadav recently expressed his disappointment at not being able to find any suitors in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction.
Yadav made his IPL debut in the 2010 edition for the Delhi Capitals (formerly Delhi Daredevils). So far, he has represented four different franchises and scalped 144 wickets in 140 games. His best tally of 20 wickets came for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2018 edition.
In the last season, Umesh Yadav bagged eight wickets in seven games for the Gujarat Titans. However, his expensive economy of 10 forced the Titans to release him ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. With a plethora of fast-bowling options in the auction, none of the franchises expressed an interest in securing the services of Yadav.
The 37-year-old revealed that he was shocked to not find any bids by the franchise, despite playing in the cash-rich league since 2010.
“Everyone knows that I wasn’t selected for the IPL this year. I have been playing for 15 years. It (unsold at IPL 2025) is very shocking for me. Why should I lie? It feels bad. After playing so much and playing close to 150 IPL matches, you don’t get selected. It’s shocking,” Umesh told Inside Sport.
“It’s upon the franchises and their strategies, or my name came late in the auction, and they weren’t left with money. Regardless, something has happened. I am very frustrated and disturbed. But still, it’s okay. I can’t change anyone’s decision,” he added.
Certainly, Umesh Yadav’s age could have been a factor for the franchise, as he was not looked upon as a future prospect. The mega auction certainly sees the franchises carving out a three-year plan and bet on players accordingly. Moreover, he has played only two domestic games in the 2024-25 domestic season after taking part in the IPL 2024.
How has Umesh Yadav performed for India across all three formats?
Umesh Yadav made his India debut in May 2010 against Zimbabwe. He forayed into the other two formats in the subsequent years. He took four wickets in five games of the 2013 Champions Trophy, as India went on to clinch the title victory.
In the 2015 World Cup, Yadav emerged as the third-highest wicket-taker with 18 scalps in eight appearances. His contributions helped the side to reach the semi-finals, before losing to Australia.
In 141 games across all formats, Umesh Yadav has scalped 288 wickets for the Indian team. He last played for the national team in the World Test Championship 2021-23 Final in June 2023 against Australia.
