Umesh Yadav is in a “good head space” after a most prolific Indian Premier League season, and has credited Ashish Nehra, the former India paceman and bowling coach at Royal Challengers Bangalore, for the improvement in Twenty20 form.

Yadav picked up 20 wickets in 14 matches for Bangalore, a return that has set him up well for a gruelling season of cricket overseas with the national team.

"Any performer is happy when he successfully executes his plans,” Yadav told Press Trust of India. “I am really happy with my performance in the IPL. It was unfortunate that we could not make it to the play-offs, but it was one of my best IPL seasons.

“Virat (Kohli) had one clear instruction for me. Go for the kill. He told me ‘get me the wickets and do not bother about getting hit’. I did as my skipper told me.”

Nehra had Yadav practising single-stump bowling, but their efforts were focussed on matters beyond the IPL, so much that he was bowling with SG Test and Duke balls whenever he got the chance at the Bangalore net sessions.

“I was told to practise 'single-wicket bowling' with both SG Test and Dukes, keeping in mind the season ahead," said Yadav. "His (Nehra) tip is to put one off-stump and maintain the channel.

"Since the out-swinger is my stock delivery, I try to land it as close as possible to the off-stump. Nehra says the length that any pacer has to hit with the new ball is same for all tracks, both in India and outside.

“The key to consistency is an uncluttered mind. The moment you try too many things, you can mess up. Single-stump strategy means I am only bowling one channel.”

Yadav plans to use the in-swinger as a surprise delivery. “I have realised one thing. Even if you are not consistently bowling in-swingers, if you can straighten the deliveries, nothing like it. If I can get the deliveries to straighten after pitching, it can even trouble the best of batsmen.”

Despite his impressive performances, Yadav might not be an automatic pick in the playing XI when India travel to England for a bumper five-Test series. There is strong competition for places among the Indian pacemen, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma, apart from Yadav, all in the mix.

“It's a happy headache for the team management – the coach and the captain – to pick the best among us,” said Yadav. “I am personally in a very good head space after IPL. My job is to be ready, and the captain and the head coach have their job.

“We are a close-knit group and even when Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) or Jassi (Jasprit Bumrah) do well, I am proud of their achievements. My job is to be battle ready for the season ahead and I am doing just that.”