LSG’s Mayank Yadav during the IPL 2024 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru on April 02, 2024.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

In the post-match press conference on Tuesday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru Impact Player Mahipal Lomror explained that the team’s game plan to tackle Lucknow Super Giants fast bowler Mayank Yadav was to use his express pace to get boundaries.

But in order to execute this idea, you must first get bat on it. Cameron Green failed on this front, as Mayank cut through his tame defence to thud into off-stump. The delivery may have been well short of the 156.7kmph clocked by Mayank earlier in the game, but it was still much too quick for the Australian.

Futile exercise

And when they did get bat on it, it was a futile exercise. Glenn Maxwell and Rajat Patidar did not have enough time to adjust the feet and get over the bounce, and ended up awkwardly slicing it high.

Just two games into his IPL career, Mayank is the hottest property in Indian cricket. In an era where speedsters are required to showcase cutters and slow bouncers, Mayank’s allure lies in raw firepower.

There are already calls to include the 21-year-old in the Indian team for the ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2024. It is tough to argue against this suggestion. A rocket delivery at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will remain a rocket in the USA and West Indies. Pace like fire holds immeasurable value in both franchise and international cricket.

Mayank was on the LSG bench for IPL 2022, and missed the previous IPL season through injury. If he manages to play through IPL 2024 without a break, Mayank will prove that he is ready for international duty.

LSG captain K.L. Rahul noted that Mayank had “quietly and patiently waited for two seasons in the dugout”.

“Mayank has worked hard to make his comeback. He knows that bowling 155kmph consistently is not easy. He is a thorough professional when it comes to looking after his body,” Rahul added.

When he has the ‘keeping gloves on to Mayank, Rahul wisely takes a few steps back. “I’m enjoying seeing him bowl from 20 yards behind the stumps. That is how far back I would like to be when he is bowling,” Rahul said.