The 21-year-old pace machine Mayank Yadav has taken the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 by storm with his sheer speed. Many former cricketers have already batted for Mayank Yadav's inclusion in India's T20 World Cup 2024's squad. Former England legendary pacer Stuart Broad too couldn't contain himself from lavishing praise on Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) pace sensation and has already proposed an idea of playing him in Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year. However, former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson thinks otherwise as he has dismissed this idea and said Mayank should not be rushed to the Test format, because he bowls fast. Mayank Yadav currently holds the record of bowling the fastest delivery of the ongoing IPL 2024. He is constantly bowling with 150-plus speed. In just two matches, he has grabbed six wickets, boasting an exceptional economy of 5.12. He is also the first player in the history of IPL to be awarded with the Player of the Match award in the first two matches.
Shane Watson warns BCCI of Mayank Yadav
Shane Watson said LSG are very lucky to have this kind of player in the team. Mayank has a world-class speed and mentioned him as the talk of the town. Speaking on the JioCinema Watson said:
“Obviously, the talk of the town is Mayank Yadav, to be able to see someone of his world-class speed and then also world-class skill on display... Lucknow Super Giants are unbelievably lucky to be able to have him”.
Australian legend further added that everyone wants to see him bowling with a red ball but this will be very challenging for him and a fast bowler bowling 15 to 20 overs in a Test match, especially on flat wickets is not easy. He further said that India should tackle him properly.
He added, “Of course, in a perfect world, you'd love to see him playing Test cricket, but just knowing how challenging it is on your body as a fast bowler, to be able to get your body accustomed and resilient enough to be able to handle bowling at high speed, 15-20 overs a day in a Test match on a flat wicket, right now, I don't see it necessary to be able to push his body to that limit”.
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“There's not too many fast bowlers in the world who come through and are able to bowl at the speed and the control that Mayank does have, so they need to harness that young man's incredible talent and skill that he's got. So, by pushing him to play Test cricket right now, I think that's not wise at all,” he further added.
'I personally think it's a waste'
Watson feels that Mayank Yadav should focus only on white-ball cricket right now as by focusing on just this format he will develop his strength gradually. He thinks it will be waste if Indian team management pushes him into four-day cricket and Test cricket.
Watson further said:
"I personally think it's a waste if Indian cricket, really trying to push him into four-day cricket and Test cricket, knowing the incredible value that he can provide in T20 and one-day cricket for India”.
"I've seen it in the past, whether it's in India or other parts of the world, when everyone gets very excited about a young speedster that comes in, the thought is always, 'oh, let's push him to play Test cricket because that's the ultimate', and it certainly is, but that does take time”.
"While his body is going to mature and get more resilient, which does take a number of years, then I think just by playing T20 and one-day cricket will gradually build up his resilience,” Watson concluded.
It will be interesting to see whether Mayank manages to replicate his heroics in LSG's next match against IPL 203's runners-up Gujarat Titans. So far in the three matches they have played, KL Rahul's side have emerged victorious in two of them and lost one to sit fourth in the IPL 2024's points table.
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