Mayank Yadav credits comeback 2/18 vs Zimbabwe for turning tables on toughest phase
Mayank Yadav's stunning 2/18 against Zimbabwe marked a triumphant return to the India setup after a two-year injury layoff, with the speedster calling the period the "toughest phase" of his career.
Mayank Yadav's comeback to the Indian team was a long and arduous one, with the 24-year-old fast bowler spending two years on the sidelines due to injury. The period was particularly challenging for the young cricketer, who was only 22-23 years old at the time.
"I was only 22-23 years old at that time, so that always affected me that I had to go through so much at such a young age," Mayank said at the post-match press conference. "It was very difficult. The two-year gap was very challenging for me as a person."
While Mayank was busy troubling Zimbabwe's batting line-up, his father, Prabhu Yadav, was undertaking the Govardhan Parikrama in Mathura, completely unaware of what was unfolding back home. The 24-year-old's stunning opening delivery, a 149 kph thunderbolt, accounted for Bennett, the same batter who had rattled India with a blistering 97 during this year's T20 World Cup.
Prabhu, who works at a factory in Okhla that manufactures sirens for ambulances and police vehicles, offered a quiet, humbling contrast to the roar his son was generating on the cricket field that same evening. "Kaise daala? Maine toh match dekha tak nahi. Mai toh bas kal raat hi Mathura aa gaya tha, bas abhi Govardhan Bhagwaan ki parikrama kar ke waapis nikal raha hun (How did he bowl? I didn't even watch the match. I only came to Mathura last night. I've just finished the Govardhan Bhagwan Parikrama and am now heading back)," he said.
Mayank praised captain Shreyas Iyer for the trust he showed in his bowlers, saying he felt free to execute his own plans while still valuing the inputs Iyer offered during the game. "During the match, I felt he showed a lot of confidence in the bowlers. Whatever I wanted to bowl, he backed it, and whenever he gave advice, I felt very confident in following it. I felt very free playing under his captaincy."
Mayank also credited Harare's conditions for easing him back into international cricket, having heard beforehand that the pitches offered good assistance to fast bowlers. "I had heard a lot about Zimbabwe, that there is good help for the fast bowlers here. This is my first time playing in Harare and it felt great. I was getting a lot of help from the wicket and I think that helped me contribute to the team."
The image of his father completing a religious pilgrimage unaware of his son's comeback adds an unusually human layer to what could easily have been just another match report. It's a reminder that behind every fast bowler chasing 150 kph, there's usually a family quietly absorbing the anxiety of injuries, setbacks and uncertain returns alongside him.
Indian cricket has burned through promising quicks before by rushing their recovery or overusing them too soon. If there's one takeaway from Thursday's spell, it's that patience, both from the player and the system around him, can still produce results worth waiting for.
Source: Yahoo Sports