With less than two months remaining before the 2024 T20 World Cup gets underway, the Indian selectors must be keeping a close eye on the ongoing season of IPL to finalise the squad that they hope will bring home the ICC trophy for the first time since 2007.
Among the hopefuls, uncapped fast bowler Mayank Yadav has thrown himself into contention after a couple of breathtaking spells in IPL 2024.
The rookie pacer has made a stunning start to his IPL career and has impressed with his raw pace. He’s consistently clocked in 150 kmph while showing excellent control with his line and length.
Representing Lucknow Super Giants, Mayank made his debut against Punjab Kings and finished with bowling figures of 3/27 in a match-winning effort to pick up player-of-the-match award. Then against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he churned out another fiery spell, taking 3/14 to bag a second straight player-of-the-match award.
Former India chief of selector MSK Prasad feels that Mayank has shown he can perform under pressure in a major competition like IPL and hence he should be considered for a spot in the team’s T20 World Cup squad.
“Had it been some other format, probably I would have thought differently. I would have taken a call only after watching him for a couple of bilateral series. But IPL is in itself a mega platform where you can showcase your talent because every game involves pressure. Mayank is someone who has shown he can absorb pressure and bowl consistently at a good line, and he has already troubled the best of the lot with his pace,” Prasad told RevSportz.
“If they (batters) are not able to bring the bat down against the pace he has been generating I think he will be handy. And looking at the Indian bowling, especially with (Mohammed) Shami now being ruled out, the selectors must be looking for a third seamer after (Jasprit) Bumrah and (Mohammed) Siraj. Someone with that kind of pace and accuracy, deserves a place in the T20 World Cup squad,” he added.
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Prasad said not only Mayank can regularly bowl at a high pace but he’s quite accurate too and called the 22-year-old ‘find of IPL’.
“It’s not just about bowling consistently at a good pace but the accuracy. You saw the game against Punjab Kings, it was his pace coupled with line and length that troubled batters. They struggled to negotiate his pace. In the game against RCB, the ball with which he got Cameron Green bowled speaks volumes about his pace. I think he is easily the find of IPL so far,” Prasad said.
“When the pitches are double paced it will be even tougher to play him. Not many people know that he has got a fantastic change of pace also. All these attributes make him a solid case for the T20 World Cup squad,” he added.
The T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by the West Indies and USA.
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