Zaheer: 'Mayank's speeds are only going to get better as he plays more'

Following Mayank Yadav's return to action after a six-month injury layoff, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Zaheer Khan said that there is a "plan in place" for how they want to use the fast bowler. Zaheer said LSG will be following the regimen the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (formerly the National Cricket Academy) has put together for Mayank.

Opening the bowling for LSG, Mayank returned figures of 2 for 40 in four overs against Mumbai Indians (MI). He picked up the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya in his spell split across the powerplay and middle overs.

"It's about going and executing and doing the job for the team. So, in terms of his preparation, we've had constant dialogue with the NCA," Zaheer said after LSG's 54-run defeat at the Wankhede. "There is a plan in place about how he should be approaching, what kind of programmes he should be following. And we are just creating that environment for him to just flourish."

Mayank was one of the three players LSG retained ahead of the mega auction before IPL 2025. He had missed the 2024-25 domestic season and the first half of the IPL because of a back injury. His return was pushed back by a week or two by an infection he picked up when he stubbed his toe against his bed.

"You've seen with him in the last one, one-and-a-half years [that] when you come in and bowl, and then have these setbacks, it can play on your mind as well," Zaheer said. "You've got to comfort that side of things as well. With Mayank, we've taken that kind of approach. I'm happy that he's gotten through the game and I'm happy to see him field all 20 overs. With the processes he's been following. I feel it's only going to get better is what my instinct tells me. It is just about getting through each and every game and following the processes in consultation with the physios and the trainers."

Mayank was named among the substitutes in LSG's previous two matches. But after batting first on each of those occasions, LSG lost a few early wickets and had to bring in an extra batter in Ayush Badoni as the Impact Player. Opting to bowl first against MI on Sunday, they straightaway unleashed Mayank. He clocked a speed of 142.7kph in his opening over, which was not as fast compared to his speeds before his injury.

He went pace on against Rohit and was pulled for back-to-back sixes. He took the pace off and went wide to dismiss the former MI captain. Towards the end of the middle overs, he beat Hardik for pace with an in-angling length ball and hit the stumps. Zaheer was pleased to see Mayank "cross the hurdle" of playing a competitive match after coming back from injury.

"The wait was long, and for anyone who's playing after so many months, to get back into the game is always that one hurdle which one needs to cross as a bowler," he said. "That's why, if you see from our side, the effort was to bring him in as Impact [Player] in the last couple of games. Even though he had joined the team, we were taking our time just to create that comfort around it.

"I know that fast bowling is never easy, especially in this format, when the batters are coming so hard at you. So that was the thought process. I'm glad that he has got through the game. That one hurdle is crossed, so I'm hopeful that with the scheduling which we have, there will be enough breaks also for him to recover and then go again.

"I'm happy with the way he's bowled. It's important that he had to get through the game, so he stayed on the 20 overs, bowled his four overs. The execution is only going to get better. The speeds are only going to get better as he plays more. Considering all things, I'm happy with the way he's gone about considering it's his first game."

LSG now have a six-day gap before their next match against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala on May 4.

Why LSG left out Shardul Thakur in Mumbai

LSG left out Shardul Thakur, their leading wicket-taker in IPL 2025 so far, to bring in Mayank.

Thakur plays for Mumbai in the domestic circuit and the Wankhede Stadium is his home ground. Zaheer said that the decision to leave out Thakur was "tactical" and that it is a "training window" for him for the back end of the tournament.

"The way Shardul started the tournament, He's done a phenomenal job for this setup," Zaheer said. "We needed to create a training window also for him and that's what we've done. It's a long tournament, so we are keeping things in mind. There are some tactical calls which we've been taking. We thought that it as an opportunity for us to bring Mayank in the tournament. And that's the reason we've given complete off for Shardul to really get ready for the back end of the tournament."