At 38, Umesh Yadav takes five for the new Punjab team after a two-year Ranji Trophy gap

Umesh Yadav marked his return to first-class cricket after nearly two years with a five-wicket haul for Punjab that helped restrict Assam to 373 on Day 2 of their Ranji Trophy encounter at the PCA International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Monday.

The 38-year-old, playing his first Ranji Trophy match since December 2024, returned figures of 5 for 70 from 24 overs over two days. He took two wickets on Sunday before adding three more on Monday to record the 16th five-wicket haul of his first-class career.

Umesh struck early on day one, bowling opener Rishav Das for a duck before dismissing No.3 Rajveer Singh. He returned on Monday to clean up the lower order, removing Amlanjyoti Das, Mukhtar Hussain and Mohit Thakur as Punjab struggled to keep Assam’s total in check.

He bowled 24 overs, one more than his counterpart Gurnoor Brar, 26, who is considered one of Punjab’s promising fast bowling prospects. The pair helped prevent Assam from pushing their total further, despite substantial contributions from the top order.

Assam were powered by centuries from captain Danish Das and Sibsankar Roy, who remained unbeaten on 143. Their efforts ensured that Punjab had to work hard for their wickets, even as Umesh and Gurnoor led the reply with the ball.

The five marked a significant start to a new chapter for Umesh, who left Vidarbha after representing the state for most of his domestic career. He made his debut for Vidarbha in 2008 and joined Punjab as a guest player for the 2026-27 season, looking for a fresh opportunity to contribute in red-ball cricket.

His move to Punjab was partly driven by a desire to join a team with title-challenging ambitions. Umesh said he was waiting for an opportunity to join a bigger domestic team after leaving Vidarbha despite hearing doubts about whether the team would sign him at this stage of his career, according to Cricinfo.

Punjab’s decision to bring him on board has given the veteran Indian international another opportunity to contribute in red-ball cricket. His performance against Assam offered an early indication of the value he could bring to the attack, combining experience and a sustained workload as Punjab looked to contain a side that produced two centuries.

Umesh last played for India in the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval in June 2023 and has not represented the country since. His career was subsequently disrupted by a serious Achilles tendon injury that required surgery in England and nearly a year of rehabilitation, with the 38-year-old later returning to competitive cricket for Vidarbha in last year’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Umesh did not sell in the IPL auction and skipped the 2026 season as a player, instead taking up a commentary role during the tournament. He has since returned to red-ball cricket with Punjab, joining the team as a guest player for the 2026–27 domestic season.

His five-wicket haul against Assam, after bowling 24 overs over two days, offered an early display of his ability to handle a significant workload in red-ball cricket.

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