Veteran Indian pacer Umesh Yadav is back with Vidarbha’s 17-man squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025. Umesh Yadav will return to action for the domestic T20 season in Lucknow from November 26 to December 8, having last participated in the competition in 2024. All-rounder Harsh Dubey will lead the squad in the meantime, with Yash Thakur acting as his deputy.
Umesh Yadav participated in just two games at his most recent appearance in SMAT 2024.
Notably, the pacer is hoping to make a comeback in this competition after having a quiet domestic season. The seasoned bowler has made no secret of his wish to rejoin the Indian squad, emphasising that recalls can only be earned through impressive domestic performances.
The seasoned player, who last represented India in the 2023 WTC Final, has been candid about the difficulties of waiting for opportunities and the reasons for staying at the national level. He wants to come back even though he hasn’t been selected since that game and didn’t sell at the IPL 2025 auction. The Vidarbha veteran, who has taken 170 wickets in 57 Test matches, provides the bowling unit with tremendous leadership.
Not included is Jitesh Sharma.
Umesh Yadav is anticipated to bolster Vidarbha despite his recent performance in domestic cricket, which includes a single-wicket appearance in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy. The 2025 version of Vidarbha features a number of significant modifications. Jitesh Sharma, who captained the squad to the quarterfinals the previous season, has not been picked since he is still busy with India A duties and an impending Twenty20 International series against South Africa. Dubey has been given leadership in his place.
Notably, Harsh had a strong performance at the Rising Stars Asia Cup in Doha, when he claimed four wickets and got his first T20 fifty. Vidarbha won the title thanks in large part to his incredible Ranji Trophy 2024–25 campaign, in which he took a record-breaking 69 wickets. He also signed a mid-season IPL contract with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The team also includes pacer Yash Thakur as vice-captain and wicketkeeper Shivam Deshmukh. Strong opponents including Mumbai, Kerala, Assam, Odisha, Railways, and Andhra are in Vidarbha’s group. On November 26, they will play Chhattisgarh in the tournament opener.
The Vidarbha team for the 2025 Syed Musthtaq Ali Trophy
Akshay Wadkar, Nachiket Bhute, Darshan Nalkande, Yash Kadam, Varun Bisht, Parth Rekhade, Umesh Yadav, Praful Hinge, Deepesh Parwani, Adhyayan Daga, Harsh Dubey (C), Yash Thakur (VC), Atharva Taide, Dhruv Shorey, Aman Mokhade, Yash Rathod, Shivam Deshmukh (wk), and atharva Taide
India
