Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) speedster Umesh Yadav has expressed his disappointment over not being sold during the IPL 2025 auction. He has been a part of the league since 2010 and participated in all editions except 2021, despite that year he was in Delhi Capitals (DC).

Speaking on Inside Sport, Umesh exclaimed that he felt bad and was surprised to see that no one was lifting the paddle for him on the day of the auction. He also pointed out the possible reason behind his snub, stating that his name came quite late and that the teams had already exhausted their funds.

“Why should I lie? He feels bad. After playing so much and playing close to 150 IPL matches, you don’t get selected. It’s shocking. It depends on the franchises and their strategies, or my name came late in the auction and they didn’t keep any money. Anyway, something has happened. “I am very frustrated and disturbed.”

Umesh last appeared for Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2024, snaring 8 wickets at 26.25 runs apiece in seven outings. However, he conceded 10 runs per over and leaked a boundary every 3.50 deliveries in the season.

Making sense of Umesh Yadav’s snub at IPL 2025

While Umesh Yadav, who has played for four IPL franchises, brings a wealth of experience, his track record in the league is not really flourishing. Its strength lies in the new ball; He can move it on the power play and make early strides, but he hasn’t been able to do that the last two seasons.

In the powerplay in IPL 2023, he went wicketless and conceded 8.79 runs per over while taking 5 wickets at 29.80 runs apiece with an economy rate of 8.76 the following season. Umesh is ineffective in other phases and often reveals too many runs and boundaries, making him a one-dimensional bowler.

Also read: Who is Fergus O’Neill? – Meet the Melbourne Renegades star who could play for Australia in the future

The league already has several new top bowlers who add value in other phases. Also, Umesh is 37 years old and recently underwent surgery on his leg, so his effectiveness could be reduced further even after he gets fit.

Teams go for long-term investment players in a mega auction, and Umesh is certainly not one of them at this stage of his career. All these points were going against Vidarbha Express, leading to their snub from IPL 2025.

For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram and YouTube.