Former South African cricketer and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) fielding coach Jonty Rhodes called IPL 2024 mainstay pacer Mayank Yadav the “Rolls Royce” of the IPL franchise. The Delhi-based Sonnet Cricket Club pacer caught the attention of the cricketing fraternity with his blistering pace in his debut match against Punjab Kings (PBKS). The Delhi pacer consistently bowled at speeds above 145 and picked up figures of 3 for 27 with a maximum speed of 155.8 km/h. In the four matches he played for the franchise in 2024, Mayank picked up four wickets with an economy of 6.99. However, he suffered an injury against Gujarat Titans at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium and left the field due to a side strain, which was confirmed as lower abdominal pain, ruling him out of the game for the entire season.
“I am not the bowling coach, but Morne Morkel, during last season, when Mayank got injured at the start of the preparations, Morne literally said, ‘Wow, this guy (Mayank Yadav), he is like the Rolls Royce of bowlers, just like we used to call Allan Donald the Rolls Royce. He is the Rolls Royce of LSG.
“He spent the whole season with the team and that’s why the owners decided to keep him with the team. He did his full rehab during the IPL and continued to be a part of the team because we really believed that he is an extremely talented young player and we have seen him in the games that he has played and everybody was keeping an eye on him and not misleading him,” Rhodes told IANS.
Mayank also holds the record for bowling the fastest ball of IPL 2024, clocking a speed of 156.7 kmph, which he bowled in the match against RCB in Bengaluru. Frequent injuries have hampered Mayank’s cricket journey so far. He missed IPL 2023 due to an injury in a practice session and the injury also ruled him out of the 2023/24 Ranji Trophy, for which he had to undergo rehabilitation in Mumbai.
“But monitoring his workload and understanding that he is a player who doesn’t need to bowl 30 minutes every day in the nets, he just needs to top up to make sure he feels ready from a mental and emotional point of view because he has the raw talent. We saw what happened with Umran Malik, who came on the field with a lot of pace, we all got excited, but you know the question is can the players bowl according to the game plan, because they are bowling to some of the best batsmen in the world and sometimes on really good surfaces, so if you have pace and you can’t bowl in good areas or with good skill, better players will push you out of the field,” Rhodes said.
He said, “So I think from the point of view LSG hasn’t caused concern, or hasn’t caused, so let’s wrap him in cotton wool, because then he comes into the game, you never know what’s going to happen. But preparation is key and hopefully, you know, during the season when the off season and now the season again by the time he comes into the IPL and if he plays with LSG again or even if he doesn’t play for LSG, I would hope Mayank bowls and stays fit for the entire IPL because there is such a talent that is exciting.”
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