Mayank Yadav is making headlines for his raw pace and of course his fastest delivery. Two Player-of-the-Match awards in his first two IPL games, the most deliveries north of 155 kph in the IPL, and the fourth fastest delivery (156.7 kph) in the history of the league – Mayank Yadav Lucknow Super Giants’ 21-year old tearaway, is already in elite territory after his match-winning spells against the Punjab Kings and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. After a sensational debut against the Punjab Kings on Saturday, March 30th 2024, Mayank Yadav terrorized the Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting order as the pacer went on dismissing the big names in the form of Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell and Rajat Patidar. As far as pace is concerned, Mayank Yadav was clocking 156.7 kmph recording the fastest delivery in IPL 2024.
As a youngster Mayank Yadav started his career at the Sonnet Cricket Club, Delhi. The club is very much famous for gifting some great talents to the country like Rishabh pant and Ashish Nehra.
Six years ago, this lanky and consistently quick bowler grabbed Tarak Sinha’s attention during the Sonnet Club nets. Sinha was utterly captivated by his talent, so much so that he instructed the Sonnet Club officials to waive any fees for him. To Davendra Sharma, assistant to Sinha, the young talent seemed like a remarkable discovery worthy of investment.
“He had walked in with his father (Prabhu). Mayank’s determination to play for Delhi was evident in his approach. The senior group noticed him, and soon he rattled them with his raw pace. We found a fantastic talent, and I am glad he built on the guidance from Ustaad Ji (Sinha),” recalled Davendra Sharma.
Recalling Mayank’s early days at the Sonnet, Sharma said: “He was amazingly accurate. For a fast bowler, it is difficult to bowl a consistent line, but Mayank was outstanding.”
“I always wanted my son to play cricket, and that too as a fast bowler,” said Prabhu Yadav, who ensured he provided Mayank Yadav with the platform to chase his cricketing dreams. Prabhu was self-employed, manufacturing sirens and lights for police vehicles. “I went to a club in West Delhi where he was not encouraged even to join, let alone play. Then I heard of the Sonnet Club, where Mr. Sinha was famous for being an unbiased coach. That was the best decision of my life, and I chose to take Mayank to Mr. Sinha. That was the only time I went with him to the club because I was assured that Mr. Sinha and Davendra Ji were the best people to care for my son,” said Prabhu.
Mayank’s debut in the Ranji Trophy against Maharashtra in 2022 marked a significant stride in his journey towards representing India, a moment warmly welcomed by those following his career trajectory. In 2022, he went on to represent Delhi in both the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali tournaments, showcasing his talent with an impressive tally of 10 wickets in five matches in the former and seven wickets in six matches in the latter. In 2023, Mayank demonstrated his bowling prowess across various tournaments. He secured five wickets in four matches during the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, seven wickets in five matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and an impressive haul of 12 wickets in five appearances during the Deodhar Trophy.
With his raw pace, the fast bowler has already caught attention of some of the greatest players in the cricketing arena, one of them being the Australian batting maestro, Steven Smith. Smith, who went on admiring him so much recently stated “Mayank Yadav should play the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. I’m looking forward to facing him.” The audiences won’t be surprised if the young paceman is fast-tracked ,in the Indian national setup in a couple of days.
Mayank’s remarkable pace on the Delhi pitches left batters struggling, a skill duly recognized by the coaches at Sonnet Club. His unwavering focus on his goals and proficiency in delivering fast-paced bowling were evident. Mayank possesses a menacing quality on the field, particularly when it comes to targeting opponents’ helmets—a trait he developed from a young age, inspired by tales of fast bowlers shared by his father, Prabhu. Growing up listening to his father’s fascination with bowlers aiming at batters’ helmets, Mayank embraced the thrill of bowling fast, thus fulfilling his father’s dream and forging his own path in the sport.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye.
