Team India Suffers Setback as Mayank Yadav Ruled Out of South Africa Series
New Delhi: Indian cricket has suffered a significant blow with the news that tearaway pacer Mayank Yadav will miss the upcoming four-match T20I series against South Africa due to injury. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the 15-member squad for the series, which begins on November 8, confirming Mayank’s absence.
Mayank, who made his international debut in the recent home T20Is against Bangladesh, has been plagued by recurring injuries. An abdominal muscle issue forced him to miss the entire Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.
Despite his injury woes, Mayank made a striking tournament debut for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2023. He consistently bowled at speeds over 150 kph and earned the Player of the Match award in his first two games.
In his four overs against Gujarat Titans, Mayank claimed 3 wickets for 27 runs, reaching a top speed of 155.8 kph. In his second IPL game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), he improved upon that, clocking 156.7 kph – the fastest ball recorded in IPL 2023.
Mayank consistently exceeded the 150 kph mark, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 14 in his four overs. Notably, he became the first player in IPL history to win the Player of the Match award in his first two matches.
In the squad announcement, India included all-rounder Ramandeep Singh and pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak. Notably, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Reddy, who featured in the Bangladesh T20Is, are absent as they will be traveling to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Meanwhile, spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel, along with pacers Yash Dayal and Avesh Khan, have been added to the squad.
Mayank’s absence is a major setback for Team India, who will be looking to build on their recent success against Bangladesh. The pacer’s ability to bowl at high speeds and generate swing would have been a valuable asset against South Africa’s strong batting lineup.
