Right-arm fast Mayank Yadav was bought by Lucknow Super Giants at the IPL players’ auction in 2022 but a series of injuries meant his debut was delayed by two seasons. On Saturday (March 30), he finally played his first IPL game and set the ball rolling with a 147kmph thunderbolt.
That was just the start as Mayank looked intent on making up for the lost time due to injuries by putting on quite a display of raw pace that saw him regularly bowling in the 150kmphs to Punjab Kings batters.
“I was visualing my debut for the past one-two years, how my first delivery will be like. I have heard from the others that there can be nervousness on debut. But after the first ball, all my nervousness went away. Everyone said to not take too much pressure, just bowl on the stumps, and use the pace,” a confident Mayank told reporters after the match.
As a kid, Mayank was attracted to anything that was quick, be it superbikes, rockets or jets and of course, fast bowling.
“Speed is thrilling,” the 21-year-old said. “I have always loved that from my childhood. Generally, I have always loved everything with speed be it rockets, plan or superbikes. I liked jets as a kid. I had the thing in my mind to make my life around these things and hopefully it came as a pace bowler.”
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Mayank’s idol has been South Africa legend Dale Steyn, widely regarded as one of the finest fast bowlers to have played the game.
“I look up to only one first bowler, Dale Steyn. I idolise him,” he said.
Mayank has had his fair share of experience with injuries and he has made peace with the fact that they will be a regular feature of his fast bowling career.
“Physios have always told be that injuries are part of a fast bowler’s life and they are like your friends. In the past one-and-a-half years I have missed cricket due to injuries. Last season I missed IPL due to injury. I have focused on training, recovery and physical fitness,” he said.
Mayank revealed that it was former India wicketkeeper Vijay Dahiya who spotted him playing in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh before recommending his name to LSG team management.
“A couple of years before the IPL mega auctions, I was playing for Delhi against Uttar Pradesh in Vijay Hazare back. Vijay Dahiya sir saw him asked for some of my bowling videos. He was the one who was in talk with Gautam Gambhir and from there I got picked by LSG,” he said.
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