Lucknow Super Giants’ promising fast bowler Mayank Yadav’s impressive IPL debut was cut short by an injury during the match against Gujarat Titans. The young pacer, who had taken three wickets in each of his first two matches, missed the subsequent game against Delhi Capitals due to a minor swelling at the top of his hip.
Following LSG’s loss to Delhi Capitals, skipper KL Rahul provided an update on Mayank’s condition. “Mayank is not too bad, he looks good, feeling good, but we also want to make sure we don’t rush him back in too early,” Rahul said. “He’s young, we need to protect his body. He’s itching to go, we just have to pull him back a little, maybe a couple of more games, before he comes back.”
LSG head coach Justin Langer revealed the extent of Mayank’s injury. “He felt a little bit of tightness at the top of his hip leading into the last game, but that was about a one-out-of-ten pain, and we thought that they were clinical signs,” Langer said. “Everything through the doctors and the physios seemed perfectly okay. He bowled that first over (against Titans) and started feeling something in his hip. But we had an MRI scan, and there is a very, very small swelling in there. So we are very hopeful he’ll start building himself up and be back bowling again soon.”
Mayank’s injury is a setback for LSG, who have relied heavily on his pace and control in the early stages of the tournament. The 21-year-old has already made a name for himself by bowling the fastest delivery of IPL 2024 at 156.7 kmph.
The LSG management is taking a cautious approach with Mayank’s recovery, recognizing the importance of protecting his long-term health. The team is hopeful that he will be back in action soon and continue to make a significant contribution to their campaign.