Mayank Yadav ‘pretty close’ to return, says LSG assistant coach Sriram

Lucknow Super Giants fast bowler Mayank Yadav has resumed bowling in the nets and is “pretty close” to returning to action after having been sidelined by injury, according to LSG’s assistant coach S Sriram.

“He’s bowling today in the nets,” Sriram said on the eve of LSG’s match against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday. “So we’ll find out how he pulls up after today, he’s pretty close, so ya hopefully, fingers crossed.”

Mayank made his IPL debut in LSG’s second game this season and was Player of the Match for his three-wicket haul against Punjab Kings. He was Player of the Match once again for another three-wicket haul in their next game against RCB, hitting speeds above 150 kph consistently. However, he walked off after bowling just one over against Gujarat Titans, complaining of abdominal soreness. He has missed four games for LSG since.

Mayank was picked by LSG in the auction ahead of IPL 2022 but did not play a game that season and missed the following edition with a torn hamstring. He made heads turn after clocking speeds north of 155kph in his first two matches, leaving people wondering if he could be in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup.

“I think he’s a pretty grounded person, I’ve just worked with him for the last month or so,” Sriram said. “He seems very mature and he knows his body well, which is very good for a young rookie fast bowler. I think coming from Delhi he has that cricket culture with him. He knows how to look after himself, he has a good cricketing sense in terms of the areas he bowls in, his execution has been very good.

“More than the pace that he’s provided I think his execution and the lengths that he’s hit have been standout for me. The number 155 is a by-product of his rhythm and the run-up speed and the arm speed, but accuracy with which he’s bowled has stood out and for me that is critical.”

Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop, an expert on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut, wrote in his column of the need for India to invest in Mayank, given his history of injuries. “Whether it’s Lucknow Super Giants, Mayank’s IPL team, or the BCCI, they can undertake a project – not an experiment, mind you – to say, ‘This guy is a diamond. Let us see if we can allocate some sort of funding and see where this goes’,” he wrote.

“Give him a personal strength-and-conditioning trainer for, say, a year. Attach that person to him, not just have the player fly somewhere every six weeks for those resources. Maybe have another medical person on the panel as well. And perhaps a dietician too. Build him up.”

LSG are fourth in the points table with five wins in eight matches. LSG head into their home game against RR with back-to-back wins against Chennai Super Kings.