Mayank Yadav's prolonged injury absence irks ex-AUS star: Does getting an IPL contract lead to downfall?

web editor  

Mayank Yadav rose to prominence during the 2024 Indian Premier League while playing for the Lucknow Super Giants, showcasing his impressive raw pace. Unfortunately, his career has been plagued by persistent injuries, casting doubt on the viability of his aggressive bowling approach.

During the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India were left without the venom in their attack once Jasprit Bumrah’s spells came to an end, with many pointing to the absence of injury-hit Mayank Yadav, whose blistering pace could have made an impact on Aussie pitches.

Former Australian spinner Brad Hogg offered his analysis on the issue, suggesting that the crux of the problem lies in young Indian bowlers seemingly focussing on IPL contracts over developing the necessary skills for longer formats.

Hogg explained, “He’s [Mayank Yadav] injury-prone because he’s young. I’m looking at his first-class stat, he’s only played one FC game. So, he hasn’t played too much of the longer format as well. I think it’s just sheer pace with Mayank Yadav.”

Hogg further elaborated on the broader trend among young pacers, especially those coming through the IPL ranks. “There are a couple of other bowlers that are very similar to him that bowl 145-150-plus but I think with young Indian bowlers coming through they bowl that pace. Sometimes, they are thinking right, just bowl sheer pace, if I can get an IPL contract, I’m happy. The end.”

Don't have ‘endurance’

Once these bowlers secure an IPL contract, according to Hogg, they often lose focus on developing their skills for the longer forms of the game. “Once they get that IPL contract, everything falls out of the window. They don’t learn how to play the longer form of the game. They don’t know how to bowl within themselves, they don’t have that endurance factor. They haven’t been trained for that endurance factor,” Hogg added.

Despite these concerns, Mayank Yadav’s journey has not been without its strategic backing from the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Recognizing his potential, the NCA avoided rushing him into international cricket, opting instead for a more gradual development plan.

Despite his IPL success, Yadav was directed to focus on his progression from white-ball to red-ball cricket. Yadav continues to recover from the injury which ruled him out of the home T20I series against Bangladesh; it is unlikely that he will be a part of the upcoming limited-overs series against England, though.

Stay informed with the latest updates on live cricket score, cricket players, match schedules and ICC rankings. Keep an eye on your favourite cricket team, including the stellar performances of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Check out the cricket schedule, WTC 2025 Points Table track team standings and dive into player stats and rankings on Crickit powered by Hindustan Times website and app. .freemium-card h4{color:#fff; padding-bottom:20px;} .freemium-card .freemium-content .subcTxt{padding-bottom:16px; color:#fff;} .freemium-card .freemium-content{width: auto; max-width: inherit;} .freemium-card .freemium-content .subcTxt{max-width:inherit; font-size:18px; padding-top:0; line-height:24px} .freemium-card .btnSubc{margin} .freemium-card .btnSubc a{background:#000; color:#fff; min-width:auto; padding:5px 15px; border-radius:6px; font-size:16px; line-height:22px; font-weight:700;} .freemium-card{height:285px} @media (max-width: 767px) { .freemium-card h4{font-size:28px} .freemium-card .freemium-content{max-width:360px; padding: 20px;} .freemium-card{height:303px; background-position: 100% 0; } }