‘This Can Be My Last World Cup': Veteran India Star Banking On IPL Performance To Make Comeback In ODIs

IPL 2023: A veteran India cricketer is banking on his performances in the tournament to try and earn a place back into the ODI side, having played his last ODI four years ago.

Veteran India star is banking on his IPL performance to make comeback in ODIs

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) has given a second chance to many cricketers to prove their worth at the international level. The most recent example of the same was Dinesh Karthik's comeback into the T20 setup after his impressive performances with the bat in IPL 2022. Karthik later went on to play the T20 World Cup in Australia.

This time around too, a veteran India cricketer is banking on his performances in the IPL to try and earn a place back into the ODI side ahead of the 50-overs World Cup and this is the fast-bowler Umesh Yadav. The fast bowler has been exceptional especially with the new ball in this format but has leaked runs when he has gone off radar. 

When he runs in to bowl for the Kolkata Knight Riders this year, he would not only be looking to win the match for his franchise but also do well to ensure he gets a recall in the ODI team.

“The ODI World Cup is played after every four years and this can be my last opportunity to be a part of it. So I need to do well in IPL and make a comeback in ODI format," Umesh told Aaj Tak in an interview.

“As I said the World Cup comes after every four years and I'm not sure if I'll be around then. Hence I want to make this season count and not wait for another four years,” he added.

Even though the 35-year-old fast bowler has been part of India's Test team, he hasn't got as many chances in white-ball cricket. The speedster last played an ODI four years ago and with several young pace-bowling options emerging, the selectors may have started to look beyond him but Umesh hasn't lost hope.|

Umesh had a great season in the IPL last year where he finished with 16 wickets from 12 encounters at an economy of 7.06 which forced the selectors to try him at least in the T20s. But for him to earn a place back in the ODI team, he would have to have a superb year and maintain consistency throughout the tournament, surely KKR won't mind that.