IPL 2022: I prefer setting small goals, says KKR pacer Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav is the latest to join that brigade with his super show in the first half of the tournament so far. Umesh, who last played white-ball cricket for India in February 2019 in a T20I match against Australia in Visakhapatnam, did not get enough opportunities to represent the country in the shortest format, playing only seven T20Is in his career. Even in the mega auction before this IPL, he initially went unsold till Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for Rs 2 crore.

(BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)But it has been a new-look Umesh this time firing on all cylinders and staying firmly in contention for the Purple Cap. The Vidarbha pacer has been able to create a buzz just months before the T20 World Cup which is coming up in Australia later this year. However, Umesh believes in taking small steps at a time. "I haven't thought that far (WC). It will all depend on the selectors and the team management," he told TOI during an interaction. "India will play a number of white-ball matches before the mega event and I have to first make it to those squads and keep performing there. Of course the World Cup remains at the back of my mind, but as a cricketer I set small goals and try to achieve those in phases," he added.

(BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)The pacer is getting matches in the IPL after 2020 when he got to play only two games for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. He was bought back by the Delhi Capitals, with whom he started his IPL journey in 2010, but was not given a chance to play. "I always believed in keeping things simple. I have not done anything special, but have kept working on my weaknesses in between and focused on my strengths," the 34-year-old said about his preparation in the run-up to this IPL. "In IPL, you need to have a big