Veteran Indian bowler Umesh Yadav is feeling sad after not being sold in the IPL 2025 auction that took place in November last year. The 36-year-old had played for the Gujarat Titans in 2024, where he was bought for INR 5.80 crore. Despite his impressive IPL career, which includes 148 matches and time with four different teams—Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals, and Gujarat Titans—he didn’t get any bids this time.
Talking about his disappointment, Umesh said, “It’s shocking for me. I’ve been playing for 15 years. After almost 150 IPL matches, it hurts not to be chosen.” In the 2024 season, he played seven games and took eight wickets, but his high economy rate of 10 might have affected his chances in the auction.
He shared, “It depends on the franchises’ choices. My name might have come late in the auction, and they ran out of money. It’s frustrating, but I can’t change what they decided.”
Umesh had surgery on his leg after the last IPL season and is determined to return stronger. He mentioned, “As long as I can bowl at 140 km/h, I’ll keep playing. If I can’t, then I’ll quit cricket myself, no need for anyone else to tell me.” Umesh last played for India in 2023 during the World Test Championship final against Australia. While he has played in 57 Tests and taken 170 wickets, his last One Day International was in 2018.
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