New Delhi: Indian pacer Umesh Yadav earned accolades from both the camps as the India-Bangladesh one-off Test entered third day on Thursday. In reply to India's 687/6d, Bangladesh have reached 322/6 with two days' play left in the match in Hyderabad.
After the day's play, Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who played a brilliant knock of 82, said that Yadav's spell was probably the best he has faced in his career.
"There was nothing much in the pitch. Because we play in KKR, I know him (Umesh) very well. Probably, this was the best spell I have faced in my Test career. He was moving the ball both ways and some of the deliveries were unplayable. The best I could do was to hit the deliveries that I could and the ones I couldn't, I tried not to nick it. I was lucky that I survived that spell," said Shakib.
The 29-year-old Indian bowler bowled a nine over spell on a barren track beating Bangldesh batsmen with his pace and swing. He took the wickets of Soumya Sarkar (15) and Mominul Haque (12), and was also involved in the run-out of Tamim Iqbal (24).
Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar echoed Shakib and hailed Yadav as "the most improved bowler" in the last one and half seasons.
"Ever since the Delhi Test match against South Africa, we have seen him (Umesh) giving the breakthroughs that the team requires. So I think the reason for that many Test victories is not only the contribution of the spinners but the small contributions that the fast bowlers have made.
"That's why someone like Umesh stands out because I believe that he's the most improved bowler in the last season and a half," Bangar said.
