Indian cricket witnessed the electrifying debut of young pacer Mayank Yadav in the T20I series opener against Bangladesh in Gwalior. The 22-year-old, who missed out on a potential breakout season in the Indian Premier League due to injury, made his mark on the international stage with an impressive performance.
Mayank’s debut was made even more memorable when former India spinner Murali Kartik, who was commentating on the series, handed him his T20I cap. Kartik later revealed that India head coach Gautam Gambhir had asked him to present the cap to Mayank, a gesture that touched him deeply.
“What a memorable day for this Speed Merchant #MayankYadav…it took me back 25 yrs when I received my cap from Sachin & Kapil paaji… A touching moment for me personally to be asked to present the cap by @GautamGambhir…a wonderful gesture,” Kartik tweeted.
Mayank’s debut was a testament to his raw pace and precision. He was handed the ball in the final over of the powerplay and delivered a maiden over, becoming only the third Indian cricketer to achieve this feat in their first T20I over.
Mayank’s pace was too much for Bangladesh’s batsmen to handle. He added a wicket to his name, dismissing experienced all-rounder Mahmudullah with a scorching 146.1kph delivery. The pace and accuracy of his bowling helped India restrict Bangladesh to a modest total of 127.
India chased down the target with ease, winning by 7 wickets with plenty of overs to spare. Mayank’s impressive debut was a major contributing factor to India’s victory. He finished with figures of 1/21 in his four-over spell, showcasing his potential as a future star of Indian cricket.
