Mayank Yadav, the rising pace sensation, has earned his maiden India call-up for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. The 21-year-old right-arm pacer has overcome a recurring abdominal strain that sidelined him for months, and his coach, Devender Sharma, believes he is eager to make a strong impact on his India debut.
Yadav’s selection comes after an impressive performance in the 2024 IPL season, where he played four matches for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and made a huge impression with his raw pace, regularly clocking speeds of 155 kph. In his debut match against Punjab Kings (PBKS), he took 3 for 27, with an overall tournament economy rate of 6.99.
However, an abdominal injury forced him out of the IPL, cutting short what could have been a breakthrough season. Yadav underwent surgery and a slow and careful recovery process at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
“It was a slow process as the abdomen injury needed surgery, and coming out of that took time,” said Sharma. “When he started practicing again, his speed dropped a bit, but now he’s back to full fitness and bowling with the same speed and accuracy.”
The national selectors included Yadav in a special camp at the NCA ahead of the Bangladesh series, alongside players like Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Sanju Samson, and Abhishek Sharma.
Sharma believes this marks the beginning of a bright international career for Yadav, but urges caution regarding the pacer’s workload. “He is still very young, so his body hasn’t fully developed like other pacers,” said Sharma. “A selective approach should be taken, allowing him to grow into the international scene gradually. Pace can be generated by many, but the accuracy he has is rare.”
Earlier, former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes hailed Yadav, comparing him to legendary fast bowler Allan Donald. “Morne Morkel, our bowling coach, called Mayank the ‘Rolls Royce’ of bowlers, just like we used to call Allan Donald,” said Rhodes.
Looking ahead, Sharma hinted at the possibility of Yadav being part of the squad as a net bowler for India’s tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year. “Why not? He must go if BCCI wants him to,” said Sharma. “His pace is purely natural. I have never seen any natural pacer like him.”
