Lucknow : Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer confirmed that tearaway Mayank Yadav is up and running, bowling at about 90 to 95 per cent at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (earlier the NCA) in Bengaluru.
Mayank's latest progress serves as a massive boost for LSG's depleted pace attack, which has played its part in churning out two victories out of their first four games in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
LSG had to toil hard on Friday night to salvage a win in a nervy affair against Mumbai Indians in their home den. In an entertaining and gripping affair, the Super Giants extended their dominance over the five-time champions by capping off the night with a narrow 12-run victory.
After the game, Langer offered an update about the much-anticipated return of Mayank, who has been sidelined from on-field action since picking up a lumbar stress injury during India's T20I series against Bangladesh last October.
"What I do know is he's working very hard at the NCA, and I saw some video of him bowling yesterday [Thursday], and he was bowling at about 90 to 95 per cent. So Mayank's up and running, which is really great for Indian cricket, for IPL. We saw the impact he had last year. I don't think there's been a bowler in India who's bowled faster than Mayank Yadav. That's why there's so much talk about him," Langer said at the press conference as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"He's up. He's keen to get going. He bowled really well in Bangalore yesterday at the NCA. I think you have another couple of bowls and hopefully... NCA, to their credit, have obviously done a very good job because they've got Avesh Khan back for us, they've got our Akash Deep back for us. So we really appreciate the work they're doing to get the boys back playing and now hopefully Mayank as well," he added.
At the beginning of the 18th edition of the cash-rich league, Lucknow's threadbare pace attack was their biggest concern. Due to injuries, Mohsin Khan, Mayank, Avesh and Akash Deep, LSG's top-tier pace attack, were missing from the battlefront.
LSG decided to replace Mohsin with Shardul Thakur before the tournament opener. Since then, Avesh and Akash have returned to on-field action one by one, elevating Lucknow's pace attack. Shardul, who went unsold in the mega auction, has spread his charm with his effective and threatening lengths. He was pivotal to Lucknow's wins and boasts seven scalps in four matches.
With MI going full throttle in the death, Shardul flawlessly executed the game-changing over. He conceded just seven runs in the penultimate over, a remarkable feat, especially when MI needed 29 runs in the last two overs. Akash, who relinked with LSG's bowling unit against MI, effortlessly clicked 140-plus kph and returned with figures of 1/46. Meanwhile, Avesh has featured for LSG in three contests, proved too expensive and has scythed two wickets.