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The Indian domestic season has already started in the form of the Duleep Trophy, and next is the Irani Cup. Following it will be the premier red-ball competition, the Ranji Trophy. Ahead of the 2026/2027 Ranji Trophy season, former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Umesh Yadav has decided to leave Vidarbha and is set to play for a new team.
Vidarbha has been one of the most improved teams in the Indian domestic format. They won their first trophy back in the 2017/18 season and, since then, have won two trophies in six seasons. This showcases their rise in the domestic format of the game. They won their last trophy back in the 2024/2025 season.
"I have decided to move on": Umesh Yadav decides to leave Vidarbha
While speaking with The Indian Express, Umesh Yadav said that he has decided to leave Vidarbha and play for a different state. He also informed that he has already got the NOC from the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) to play for a different state. This is a surprising move from the ‘Vidarbha Express’, who has been a key player for the side.
"I have decided to move on from this season and play for another state. I have got my NOC from Vidarbha Cricket Association," Yadav told The Indian Express.
Why did Umesh Yadav decide to leave Vidarbha?
According to reports, Umesh Yadav has decided to leave the 2024/25 Ranji Trophy champions due to their dilemma over not providing clarity on the pacer’s future. As per one source stated that Umesh asked the VCA for clarity, but the state association did not provide a proper response, so he made his thought to move out.
Umesh also played in the recent edition of the Vidarbha Premier League and performed well, and he also wanted to play more cricket for the state, but due to uncertainty from the VCA, he was forced to choose a different path. It will be interesting to see which state team he signs for in the forthcoming domestic season or whether he retires.
Umesh Yadav international and domestic career
The 38-year-old pacer has been out of the Indian selectors' minds; however, he has some of the best records while bowling for India in Test format at home. He has taken 101 wickets in 32 Test matches at an average of 25.88 at home. He was a crucial part of the Men in Blue when Virat Kohli was the captain at home and in overseas conditions as well.
No Indian pacer has picked more wickets than him since 2018, with 43 wickets in 11 matches at 18.25, with two five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul. Umesh has featured in 141 matches for the Men in Blue across formats and has picked 288 wickets, which is a sensational record for a pacer who has been in and out of the team.
In First-Class cricket, he has played 124 matches with 380 wickets at an economy rate of 3.31. He also has a brilliant List A record, having featured in 136 matches, picking up 194 wickets.
