Mayank Yadav is one of the brightest stars to have emerged from the IPL 2024. The Lucknow Super Giants pacer regularly clocked above 150 kmph, with a fastest speed of 156.7 kmph, before an abdominal problem ruled him out of several matches. On April 7, he was withdrawn from the attack after bowling just one against Gujarat Titans. He then missed matches against Delhi Capitals (April 12) and Kolkata Knight Riders (April 14). However, a news video of LSG has raised speculation about his comeback.
“Phir se udd chala (fly again),” the message read. Accompanying the post was a video in which Mayank was seen bowling in full swing. LSG's next match is against CSK on Friday and the video has made everyone hopeful of Mayank's return.
Phir se udd chala pic.twitter.com/q8CP55Bkgk
— Lucknow Supergiants (@LucknowIPL) April 17, 2024
Earlier, LSG coach Justin Langer said he hopes Mayank returns to full fitness for the home match against Chennai Super Kings on April 19.
“That is the plan (to have Mayank fit for the match against Chennai Super Kings on April 19). We want him to play every match if possible,” Langer had said.
“But he will work towards it; he works very hard every day to be ready for whatever our next game is. He won't play tomorrow, that's unlikely… with the very short turnaround time it's unlikely he plays this one .” But he's definitely working on playing whenever he can.”
Mayank, who became an overnight sensation in his IPL debut by consistently bowling over 150 km per hour, had left the field after bowling just once against Gujarat Titans on Sunday.
“He felt a little bit of tension at the top of his hip leading up to the last game, but that was about one in ten pain, and we thought it was clinical signs,” Langer said.
Everything seemed fine. He knocked that over first (against Titans) and started feeling something in his hip. But we had an MRI scan and there is a very, very small swelling. So we're very hopeful that he will start building himself up and start bowling again soon,” the former Australian opener added.
Langer gave a fitness update on left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan, who has missed the team's last two matches due to injury.
“He is bowling now. He had a small piece of disc in his back. He and Mayank are very important to us. He has undergone all the treatments – it is really good to have an excellent medical staff. He is bowling today in the middle,” he said.
“He may be available tomorrow, but more than likely – and hopefully – we are looking at the game against Calcutta where that extra pace will be valuable. But he is on the right track – fingers crossed,” he added.
With PTI inputs
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