As the rising pace sensation Mayank Yadav earned his maiden India call-up after being named in the squad for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, starting October 6, his coach Devender Sharma said the young pacer is eager to perform at his best after missing months of competitive cricket. After a prolonged injury layoff, Yadav has been cleared by VVS Laxman, head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), to play in the series. Sharma feels that his ward will make a strong impact on his India debut.

“I feel very proud of him. His selection in the Indian team would have come earlier if he hadn’t been injured. He was disheartened after missing most of the matches for LSG in IPL 2024, but with the help of NCA, he is fully fit and fine, running hard, and bowling with the same pace. For sure, he will put up a good performance with the ball. He is hungry for it.”

The 21-year-old right-arm pacer’s selection comes after months of recovery from a recurring abdominal strain that had sidelined him since the IPL. In the 2024 season, despite playing only four matches, Mayank made a huge impression with his raw pace, regularly clocking speeds of 155 kph.

His debut against Punjab Kings (PBKS) saw him take 3 for 27, with his overall tournament economy rate standing at 6.99. However, an abdominal injury forced him out, cutting short what could have been a breakthrough season.

Sharma shed light on the slow and careful recovery process that followed and said, “Straightaway, he went to NCA in Bengaluru and started working on his fitness, diet, and all the necessary recovery steps. It was a slow process as the abdomen injury needed surgery, and coming out of that took time. 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 Mayank in a special camp at the NCA ahead of the Bangladesh series, alongside players like Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Sanju Samson, and Abhishek Sharma.

Mayank’s coach believes this marks the beginning of a bright international career, but urges caution regarding the pacer’s workload. “He is still very young, so his body hasn’t fully developed like other pacers. 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,” said Sharma.

Earlier, former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes hailed Mayank, 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. Mayank is LSG’s Rolls Royce,” Rhodes said.

Looking ahead, Sharma hinted at the possibility of Mayank being part of the squad as a net bowler for India’s tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year. When asked if the young pacer should travel with the team for preparation, he said, “Why not? He must go if BCCI wants him to. His pace is purely natural. I have never seen any natural pacer like him.”