The BCCI Centre of Excellence, which used to be the NCA, is facing some tough times after India’s fastest bowler, Mayank Yadav, suffered another injury that will keep him out for the rest of the IPL season. The IPL media release confirmed that Yadav has a back injury and is done for this season. New Zealand’s William O’Rourke will step in for him with the Lucknow Super Giants.
Mayank was just starting to come back after six months of rehab with the Sports Science and Medical team at the Centre of Excellence. He only played two matches this season, giving up 100 runs in eight overs while taking two wickets. It was clear that his speed had dropped off, and his bowling style changed significantly.
Since March 30, 2024, he’s managed just nine T20 games, four of which were with Lucknow last year where he really shined, consistently hitting mid-150 speeds. Unfortunately, he experienced his first injury in April of that year and was sidelined for six months before being brought back into the India T20I squad for the series against Bangladesh. But after the series, his back issue came back, causing him to miss the entire domestic season while he went through rehab.
Now that Nitin Patel has left, it’s unclear who can answer questions about Mayank’s recovery process. There’s also the concern that he might have been cleared to play too soon, especially since his injury came back so quickly. A well-known Strength and Conditioning coach, who used to work at the old NCA, told PTI that the timelines for Yadav and Umran Malik’s rehab don’t look great.
At just 22, Mayank has a lot of cricket ahead of him, but these frequent injuries could start shaking the selection committee’s trust in him. He has a pace bowler’s contract with the BCCI and has been under their care for a year, but these ongoing injuries might mean they need advice from foreign specialists, as the Centre of Excellence seems to be falling short in this area.