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Mayank Yadav needs to bowl regularly to get back his fitness and BCCI keeping him at NCA is not doing any good to the pacer, opined former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey.

Despite a stunning debut in the IPL 2024, where 22-year-old Mayank Yadav demonstrated his promise with seven wickets in four games and the fourth-fastest delivery in IPL history at 156.7 kmph, his journey has struck an unforeseen hurdle.

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) signed the youthful right-arm bowler for INR 20 lakh in the mini-auction last year, and he astonished everyone with his pace and precision in the IPL 2024. His success prompted many experts and former cricketers to advocate for his admission to the Indian cricket squad.

Mayank Yadav’s blistering pace garnered attention early in the IPL 2024 season, as he routinely bowled at rates exceeding 150 kmph and threw the fourth-fastest ball in IPL history at 156.7 kmph. However, his tournament came to an early end after he suffered a side strain and was ruled out of the entire tournament.

This is the age where he has to bowl: Paras Mhambrey on Mayank Yadav wasting time at NCA

Mayank Yadav, 22, has been out of action for more than three months due to an injury sustained at the National Cricket Academy. He was slated to return to the Delhi Premier League (DPL) but opted out.

Mayank Yadav will continue to be closely monitored by the NCA, according to BCCI secretary Jay Shah, but there are no promises that he will be selected for India anytime soon, including the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia later this year.

Former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey feels that it is time for BCCI to unleash Mayank for competitive action, especially in first-class cricket.

“I don’t agree that if he is not ready, just don’t play him. This is the age where he has to bowl. A bowler should bowl. The more you bowl, the more you will have control, you will know your threshold as to how much your body can take. You can’t wrap him up in cotton wool saying he will get injured,” Mhambrey told Indian Express.

“We can’t overbowl and burn him out but we have to be smart about how much he should bowl. As a fast bowler, he needs to play first-class cricket. When you play one season, you understand your bowling. You bowl in different conditions. Physically, you will be tested in different phases of the game. Sometimes, you will have to be on the ground for six sessions. And to be able to bowl with the same intensity in the last session will give you confidence when you play at the international level. I strongly feel Mayank needs to grind it out in the domestic season,” added the former India pacer.

‘How much cricket has he played? How much has he bowled?’

Mhambrey believed that the 22-year-old’s frequent ailments were due to a lack of red-ball cricket experience.

“You have to check his background. How much cricket has he played? How much has he bowled? Everything adds up. We need to go in-depth about him, what have been his training methods? How many overs he used to bowl, his history of injuries. Going forward, fitness, technical aspects, and workload are going to be the parameters for Mayank. He’s only 22. His body is still developing. He is in that injury-prone age group. His body has not completely developed yet. His injuries can be controlled, if we understand his background well,” Mhambrey signed off.

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