Match awards

Pushing Mayank Yadav: The buzz around fast-tracking a blistering fast-bowling talent like Mayank Yadav to the Indian team, especially for the T20 World Cup and Test side, is growing day by day, thanks to his high speeds, bounce and accuracy coupled with a high-arm action in hostile spells which have fetched him back-to-back Player of the Match Awards in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

Shane Watson, the former Australia fast-bowling all-rounder, thinks pushing the Lucknow Super Giants tearaway pacer to play four-day matches and Tests will not be a wise decision, saying it won’t be fair to put him through a strenuous workload without building the necessary strength in his body.

So far, Mayank has played just one first-class match for Delhi, coming against Maharashtra in December 2022, where he injured himself. But injuries to the hamstring and a side strain meant he hasn’t played a first-class game after that. With Mayank hurrying batters and spectators left in awe on seeing his raw speed going north of 155 and 156 kmph, the calls for him to be in the Test team have increased, though Watson has expressed a word of caution.