Mayank Yadav set to take a leaf out of Bumrah's playbook amid constant injury scares: Reports

When Umran Malik made his IPL debut, Indian fans were thrilled at the sight of an Indian bowler breaching the 150 kph mark. His exploits for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2021 paved the way for his entry into the Indian team, where he made his T20I debut in 2022. However, with the raw pace in Malik's bowling not supported by the required line and length, the young speedster gradually faded into the shadows. A new beacon of unrestrained pace emerged in IPL 2024 when Lucknow Super Giants introduced Mayank Yadav. The pacer toyed with the 150 kph mark again. However, his season was cut short due to injury concerns. Now, there's growing concern that Yadav might face a similar fate, with his progress hampered by recurring injury scares.

Surgery could be on cards for Mayank Yadav to come out of injury concerns: Reports

India picked the 23-year-old in the T20I squad for the home series against Bangladesh in late 2024. However, Yadav sustained another injury during the series, one that troubled him long enough to make him miss the initial half of IPL 2025. When Mayank finally returned to the scene, his journey was once again halted by another niggle. The speedster could play only two matches for LSG in IPL 2025 before being ruled out of the season with a back issue. The consistent injury concerns for the youngster pose a direct threat to his transformation into a promising long-term asset.

Mayank Yadav marked his long-awaited return to competitive cricket earlier this season during an IPL 2025 fixture against Mumbai Indians. However, his comeback was short-lived, as he sustained yet another back injury after just his second outing, ruling him out of the remainder of the tournament. With his recurring fitness issues raising concern, reports now suggest that Mayank may adopt a recovery approach similar to that of Jasprit Bumrah.

One of LSG’s three retentions ahead of the mega auction, Mayank Yadav returned to the playing field for the first time since October last year, making an instant impact with a two-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians. However, his momentum stalled in the following game against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala, where he went wicketless and leaked runs at 10 per over.

Following the mid-season suspension of IPL 2025, brought on by escalating India-Pakistan border tensions, Mayank did not feature again. LSG later confirmed that their express quick, who had previously caught the attention of BCCI selectors and earned a specialized fast-bowling contract, had been ruled out due to a back issue.

As per a recent report, Mayank Yadav is expected to fly to New Zealand for expert medical consultation regarding his injury, with surgery also being considered as a possible solution. Jasprit Bumrah had encountered a similar setback earlier in the year during the Sydney Test against Australia, which saw him miss the Champions Trophy and the first half of the IPL season. However, he returned in fine form, grabbing 18 wickets in just 11 matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.37.

"The speedster is all set to follow the Jasprit Bumrah route. Bumrah had consulted and was operated on by specialists in New Zealand. Even when Bumrah was injured in Australia, during the last Test match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney, his reports were sent to the same specialists in New Zealand," the report read.