Mayank Yadav, catapulting onto the IPL stage with a thunderous debut, has set the cricketing world abuzz together with his blistering tempo. The 21-year-old, enjoying his first match for Lucknow Super Giants, shocked viewers with deliveries clocking as much as 155.8 kph. Nine of these have been above 150 kph. He took the wickets of Jonny Bairstow, Jitesh Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh. As Mayank was handed the Player of the Match award, notable cricketing veterans like Dale Steyn and Brett Lee joined the refrain of reward on social media, acknowledging his ferocious tempo.

Mayank hails from Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh and trains on the prestigious Sonnet Club. Although a revelation to many on his IPL debut, he had been a well known bowler among the many followers of Delhi’s cricket circuit over the previous few years. Some even know the story of a youngster Mayank struggling to search out shoe dimension quantity 12 again then!

“Uski ball dikhti nahi hai, 158-159 kph daal sakta hai baccha (batters struggle to see his deliveries, he can clock 158-159kph). He came to us at Sonnet Club six years back. We took a trial and straightaway spotted that he is very quick off the wicket with a smooth action. But he was very weak at that time though he bowled really quick. We worked on his fitness, made him play a few age-group tournaments for the club to polish his game and steadily, he moved up the ranks to play for Delhi,” Devender Sharma, as soon as a deputy to the late Tarak Sinha, who now runs Sonnet Club in Delhi, advised RevSportz.

“He has played a lot of matches in club cricket to get ready for the IPL. In 2022, he used to call me and say ‘I am about to get my IPL debut’ but due to some reasons it didn’t happen. I was sure he would get his debut in 2023 but had an injury and was replaced.”

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. / by Mayank Yadav

Relishing the uncooked and thrilling tempo of the debutant who now has 2️⃣ wickets to his identify #PBKS require 71 from 36 delivers

Watch the match LIVE on @JioCinema and @StarSportsIndia #TATAIPL |… pic.twitter.com/rELovBTYMz

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 30, 2024

Rishabh Pant, fellow Sonnet Club alumni, and Sourav Ganguly had expressed curiosity in recruiting him for Delhi Capitals, whereas Ashish Nehra, one other Sonnet Club alumni, vouched for him at Gujarat Titans. However, Lucknow Super Giants have been in no temper to launch the thrilling expertise. Even India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar had proven eager curiosity in Mayank, contemplating him for the India-England Tests earlier this yr. Agarkar wished to observe Mayank play as soon as earlier than choosing him however name it destiny, he was sidelined by a hamstring harm on the time.

“He was very sad, nearly broken. Who would want to give away the chance to impress the chief selector and play for India? I pray to god that he keeps rising and stays fit. He is a very good and strongly built kid. He has an athletic body. He is very hard-working and has the ability to serve India for long. He has a good head and that is what is most important,” Sharma mentioned.

But how did the IPL journey begin for Mayank?

A pure vegetarian and a Lord Krishna-devotee, he has been intently developed below the mentorship of the late Tarak Sinha and Devender. Despite tempting affords, together with a job alternative from Services, Mayank remained steadfast to characterize Delhi. His debut efficiency within the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2021 the place he bowled a maiden within the forty ninth over to assist Delhi defend 12 off the final 12 balls towards Haryana, earned him accolades. Vijay Dahiya, the then assistant coach at Lucknow Super Giants, noticed and roped him in quickly after that.

Despite setbacks, together with being benched within the IPL 2022 season and lacking out on subsequent season resulting from harm, Mayank’s expertise shone brightly in tournaments just like the Deodhar Trophy, the place he was the joint second-highest wicket-taker. The teen had proven glimpses of promise in red-ball cricket for Delhi in his Ranji Trophy debut in 2022 however needed to stroll off resulting from an harm. He missed the 2023-24 Ranji season resulting from a aspect pressure harm, suffered whereas bowling extensively at LSG nets.

India have seen a couple of specific pacers come and vanish shortly. Be it for accidents or consistency, real pacers haven’t had an extended profession for India to date. So, what makes Mayank completely different?

“He is mentally strong. He knows his strengths. He will focus on that…which is pace. He has been told right from the start that pace is his strength. He has a very sharp yorker. I am sure he was a bit nervous but as it slowly settles in, he will start launching them in. Watch out for his bouncers. Delhi mein bohoto ko sarr par mara hai (he has hit a few players on their helmets in Delhi circuit). To catch Jonny Bairstow and Jitesh Sharma late on the pull says a lot about his bouncers,” a proud Sharma mentioned.

So what message does his coach have for Mayank now that there will likely be media consideration, social media hype and probably an India call-up within the close to future?

“Fitness is very important. If you don’t work on that, then you won’t survive for long. I always tell him to keep working on fitness. If a genuine pacer is fit, then he will survive for long and will eventually play for India. If not, he will struggle. The more you bowl, you would know which areas of your body are weak. You have to work on it,” Sharma concluded.