How Mayank Yadav got fast-tracked into Indian team despite 4 IPL games, five-month injury layoff? Coach Devender Sharma reveals

Mayank Yadav is the only fresh face in the Indian squad selected for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh.

New Delhi: Four Indian Premier League games followed by five months on the sidelines due to injury. Mayank Yadav was no way dreaming of an India call-up soon without any match practice. But the inevitable happened when the BCCI named the Lucknow Super Giants pacer in the 15-member squad for the home T20I series against Bangladesh, starting next month.

The fast bowler from Delhi, who has played just 14 T20s so far, grabbed eyeballs when he consistently bowled mid-150 clicks for LSG during three of his four IPL 2024 matches including back-to-back Player of the Match awards which garnered global attention. It was during mid-IPL, the 22-year-old was ruled out due to lower abdominal strain.

Such has been his talent that he was wrapped in cotton wool with an extensive rehabilitation programme and of late has been bowling 14-15 overs per day at the National Cricket Academy. Normally in India, no cricketer gets fast-tracked into the Indian side without being tested in the domestic circuit.

But in the case of Mayank, things took a different turn after NCA head and former India batter VVS Laxman took a special interest in the young pace sensation. Ever since Mayank entered the NCA, Laxman took a special interest in Mayank and as soon as he was declared fit by the medical team, the BCCI wasted no time in drafting him for the Bangladesh series.

Laxman’s behind the scenes story was revealed by Mayank’s coach Devender Sharma. “All credit to Laxman sir. He took a special interest in Mayank, right from the day Mayank went to NCA. He was given a clear instruction by Laxman sir to first work on his core strength and then start bowling,” Sharma was quoted as saying to The Indian Express.

“It was a slow process. BCCI didn’t want to take any risk. He started bowling two months back, and it took him a month to get back to his normal speed. For the past six weeks, he has been bowling 15 overs per day at the NCA, another instruction given to him by Laxman sir,” added Devender.

However, it is believed that before being unleashed into red ball format in Ranji Trophy, Bangladesh series is the best opportunity for the national selection committee and head coach Gautam Gambhir to check out how he is coping at the international level with only four overs to bowl.

If his body holds up well, they might slowly draft him into the longer formats as he is considered a prospect who will serve Indian cricket for the longest time. Devender also stated that Mayank is in the scheme of things for India in the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

“Yes, there is a temptation to Mayank to Australia. But as far as I know, he will be tested in the T20Is first. Thereafter, he was told to play Ranji Trophy for Delhi. The NCA wants to monitor his body and whether it can cope with the pressure of four days or not. For now, he is fit to bowl four overs, in my opinion, he needs a season of domestic cricket to get ready for the four-day matches,” he said.