Umeshkumar Tilak Yadav (born 25 October 1987) is an Indian cricketer who currently plays for Vidarbha cricket team, Indian national team and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League. A right-arm fast bowler, Yadav has played for Vidarbha at domestic level since 2008 and is the first player from the team to have played Test cricket. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Zimbabwe in May 2010. The following year, in November, Yadav made his Test debut against the West Indies. He was the highest wicket-taker for India in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. he broke former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming's record of the highest strike rate in an innings in Test cricket
In the Indian Premier League, he plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore. In the 2018 IPL auctions, he was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for ₹4.2 crore.
Before becoming a professional cricketer, Umesh Yadav unsuccessfully applied to join the army and the police force. Yadav tried to make a place in college cricket team but was refused because he did not play for any club then in the year 2007 having previously only ever played tennis ball cricket, Yadav joined Vidarbha Gymkhana (club affiliated to VCA) and established in 1969 by J.A. Karnewar and first time began bowling with a leather ball in Guzder League 'A' Division cricket tournament organised by Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA). Pritam Gandhe, Vidharbha's Ranji trophy team captain, supported Yadav and ensured he represented Air India in a Twenty20 tournament. Of Yadav's early career, Gandhe remarked: "He was raw and wayward. But he was really quick – too quick. I thought that if he lands at least three out of six balls in line with the stumps, he will trouble batsmen."