Perth, Jan 14: Although he had an ordinary Test at Sydney, Umesh Yadav came back well in Perth to claim his first five-wicket haul, bringing India back into the game. The youngster had earlier claimed the top three wickets in both innings of the first Test at Melbourne. Amongst his scalps today was the celebrated Ricky Ponting; the 24-year-old speedster claimed Ponting’s middle stump to send him back for just seven runs.

Yadav spoke about his five-wicket haul in a brief chat with the TV channel at stumps.

Excerpts:

On his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket

It’s my first five-wicket haul so that feels good. I am happy.

On whether claiming Ricky Ponting’s wicket was his best moment in international cricket so far

Obviously, it felt good. To take a wicket of such a big player, and that too clean-bowled, brings me more happiness.

On whether he had ever dreamt he would claim a five-for at Perth, or uproot Ricky Ponting’s middle-stump

I hadn’t thought of any such thing. I had only thought that I had to bowl well and I was concentrating on that. I did well so I am happy about that.

On his coach Subroto Banerjee’s prediction that he would do well in Perth

The wicket here helps the fast bowlers so he had hoped that I would do well. It feels good that I could.

On his coach’s statement that Yadav was fulfilling the former’s dream

If he is saying that, and if he feels that, then it is a big thing for me too. He has been a senior player, played for India too. It gives me great joy if he thinks like that.

On whether he felt that the team not doing well despite his performance was a downer

It happens sometimes that you perform well but the team’s performance is not so great, so that [gets] you down a bit. When the team loses despite you doing well, then that feeling [of dissatisfaction] comes in. You feel bad that the team lost even though you performed well.