Zaheer Khan, mentor for the Lucknow Super Giants and a former fast bowler for India, shared his thoughts on Sunday about Mayank Yadav, saying he’s confident that Mayank’s bowling speed will pick up as he plays more in the IPL. After a long time away from the game due to injuries affecting his back and toe, Mayank made his return and got 2 wickets for 40 runs in 4 overs, taking out big names like Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya. He bowled around 140 km/h, which is a bit slower than his usual 150-155 km/h.
Zaheer mentioned that coming back after such a long break is tough for any player, especially bowlers. He was pleased with Mayank’s performance, noting he managed to bowl his 4 overs despite the time away from the pitch. “The more he plays, the better his speed and execution will get,” Zaheer said.
He also talked about how LSG took their time with Mayank’s return, making sure to create a comfortable environment for him. “Fast bowling is challenging, especially with batters going hard at you, so we wanted to be careful,” he explained. Zaheer feels that now that Mayank has gotten through this game, he’ll have the chance to recover properly and continue improving.
He added that LSG has kept in touch with the National Cricket Academy about Mayank’s recovery and training plans to help him get back in form. “We have a clear plan for him, and we’re ensuring he has the support he needs to thrive,” he said.