IPL 2023: KKR fast bowler Umesh Yadav ruled out of GT clash with hamstring injury

Umesh Yadav has been wicketless in the last 7 games for Kolkata Knight Riders.

Gujarat Titans will be in revenge mode against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. Titans were stunned by Rinku Singh’s blistering 5 consecutive sixes in the last over to chase 29 runs in 6 balls. Before this important game for KKR, they have bad news from their camp. KKR’s new ball bowler Umeshwill be missing out on the action against Gujarat Titans. Umeshwill be sitting out due to a hamstring injury he got just before the game. Umesh Yadav’s fitness is also very important for the Indian Cricket Team. Yadav is part of the WTC final squad.

Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Umeshwill be replaced by a young pace bowler from Delhi, Harshit Rana. 21-year-old Harshit will be making his IPL debut. Gujarat Titans won the toss and have invited Kolkata Knight Riders to bat in overcast heavy weather conditions. KKR captain Nitish Rana informed, “Umesh Yadav tweaked his hamstring and he will be missing out, Harshit Rana comes in for Umesh”. KKR’s star opener Jason Roy is also missing from this game due to a back niggle. Rahmanullah Gurbaz comes in place of Jason Roy against Gujarat Titans.

Apart from the first game against Punjab Kings, Umesh has been wicket-less for Kolkata this season. Umesh has only one wicket in 8 games, but he played the role of a new ball bowler nicely. Umesh is also part of Team India. Indian team management will also be a little worried about his fitness. With Shardul Thakur, Md. Siraj, and Jaydev Unadkat in the Indian squad, Yadav has a huge role in his hand for the ICC WTC final. There’s persistent rain going on at Eden Gardens, and the possibility of a full 20 overs game looks dim. 

KKR Playing XI:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), N Jagadeesan, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana (c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, David Wiese, Shardul Thakur, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy

GT Playing XI:

Wriddhiman Saha (Wk), Abhinav Manohar, Hardik Pandya (C), Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Joshua Little