 "Lucknow Super Giants pacer Mayank Yadav has been the newcomer of IPL 2024. AP")
Mayank Yadav suffered a side strain in Lucknow Super Giants’ win against Gujarat Titans in Lucknow in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday night. Mayank bowled just one over before going off the field. In that over, his pace was down, going past 140kmph only twice, and he was struck for three boundaries - in the fourth over of GT’s unsuccessful 164 run chase.
With the pacer down, Krunal Pandya stepped up and dented Gujarat’s middle order by taking 3/11 in his four overs. He later shrugged off concerns about Mayank, by far the most exciting newcomer in IPL 2024.
“I don’t know what is happening but I did have a brief couple of seconds’ chat - he seemed okay, which was quite a relief for us,” Krunal said on the broadcast.
A day later, LSG CEO Vinod Bisht said Mayank’s workload will be managed over the coming week as a “precaution”.
“Mayank felt soreness in lower abdominal area and as a precaution we are managing his work load over next week,” Bisht said on Monday. “We hope to see him soon in the field.”
Mayank has bowled with incredible pace to emerge as the quickest bowler this IPL season. The Delhi-raised player has matched it with six wickets at the cost of 41 runs.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“A bright prospect, I’d been watching him from last two years. He used to bowl gun in the nets,” Krunal said. “Last year, unfortunately, missed it [due to injury]. But again, whatever conversation I have had, what I see is that he has a good head on his shoulders as well.”
Mayank had missed the Ranji Trophy season for Delhi with a side strain. In the previous IPL seasons, he was forced to sit out with ankle and hamstring niggles.
Former West Indian pacer Ian Bishop underlined the importance of preserving Mayank. “He should be treated and protected well as it is the early stages of his career. His body should get stronger considering he bowls at such a high pace,” he said.
“His franchise and the country’s board should take note of it,” Bishop said in commentary, while giving the example of how Australia preserved Pat Cummins in his early years after the premier pacer suffered stress injury on his lower back.