Vishnu Kumar

Mayank Yadav’s express pace and precision were standout features of his bowling during the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, where his raw speed left batsmen struggling. Former India bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, was particularly impressed by Mayank’s dismissal of Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, calling it the highlight of the tournament. “One dismissal says it all. That wicket was enough for me to say whoa! This kid is special,” Mhambrey told The Indian Express. Playing for the Lucknow Super Giants, Mayank bowled a searing 156 kph delivery to dismiss Green. What impressed Mhambrey the most wasn’t just the wicket itself but the build-up. Before that fourth ball of the eighth over in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s innings, Mayank had consistently clocked over 155 kph, leaving Green visibly unsettled. “Green is a quality player and has played all his life on bouncy Australian surfaces, but the way he got out, I felt he was scared. He was caught on the crease and done in with pace. That dismissal was one thing, but the couple of balls Mayank bowled before that tell you about his skillset,” Mhambrey added. Despite his electrifying pace, Mayank managed to play only four matches in IPL 2024, bowling just 12.1 overs before a recurring abdominal strain sidelined him. It’s been over three months since he last played competitive cricket. He wasn’t picked for the Duleep Trophy and even withdrew from the inaugural Delhi Premier League (DPL), indicating that he’s still not fully recovered. “He has spent every alternate week over the last three months at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). He pulled out of the DPL, and we don’t know when he will be available, but we are hoping he will be back to his best before our first Ranji Trophy match,” a Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) official told The Indian Express. Mayank’s mentor, former Delhi U-19 coach Narender Negi, revealed that the bowler is under close supervision by NCA physios and trainers. “He has been given a routine by the physios at the NCA. They are monitoring his body. He’s been working on his strength, especially his leg and back muscles. They are being very careful with Mayank,” Negi said. Negi emphasized that the challenge lies not in Mayank’s biomechanics but in his physical fitness. “His body is not suited for the kind of speeds he generates. But he is a special talent, and the BCCI doesn’t want to take any risks with him. You don’t get a bowler who can bowl 150 kph-plus every day,” he said. Negi also shared that the NCA has instructed Mayank to bowl 12-15 overs daily as part of his rehabilitation, setting smaller goals to help him regain his fitness. He cited the example of Jasprit Bumrah, who returned stronger after a year-long injury layoff, to encourage Mayank. Paras Mhambrey believes that for Mayank to grow as a bowler, he needs to bowl more and play first-class cricket. “I don’t agree that if he’s not ready, just don’t play him. This is the age where he has to bowl. A bowler should bowl. The more you bowl, the more you will have control and understand your body’s limits. You can’t wrap him up in cotton wool, fearing injury,” Mhambrey said. He also stressed the importance of balancing Mayank’s workload, advocating for regular first-class cricket to help him build endurance and confidence. “When you play one season, you understand your bowling. You bowl in different conditions and are tested physically throughout the game. This experience is crucial for Mayank’s development,” Mhambrey noted. Mhambrey attributed Mayank’s frequent injuries to his limited exposure to red-ball cricket during his formative years. He emphasized the need to study Mayank’s background, including his training methods and injury history, to manage his fitness better going forward. At just 22 years old, Mayank Yadav has shown great potential but remains in an injury-prone phase due to his developing body. However, with proper management and a well-structured plan, Mhambrey believes Mayank could become a nightmare for batsmen worldwide. “Mayank is definitely a great prospect. You can see that spark in him. He is very special, and we all realized that in the last IPL. That clip (Green dismissal) is enough to motivate us to get the best out of him,” Mhambrey said. “I’m not looking at the next 10 or 15 years. I want to see what he can do in the next five. The next three-four years will be extremely crucial for him. Once he is 25-26, he will understand his body much better. And then he will have a good five years at the international level.”