Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 5 : India's captain, Suryakumar Yadav, believes that the young fast bowler Mayank Yadav could be the team's X-factor. However, he did not confirm if he would make his debut in the T20I series opener against Bangladesh on Sunday.
Mayank is part of a new wave of talent in Indian cricket, and Suryakumar's confidence in him has raised expectations.
Mayank Yadav gained attention in IPL 2024 with his impressive fast bowling for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He bowled the fastest delivery in IPL history at 156.7 KMPH against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). However, his season was cut short by a back injury, a common issue for fast bowlers.
At a pre-match press conference, Suryakumar praised Mayank and other young talents in the squad. He mentioned that Mayank has an X-factor that could significantly impact the team, potentially as soon as the series against Bangladesh.
"He has that X-factor, as we've seen in the IPL. It feels good to see all these pieces come together," Suryakumar said in the pre-match press conference.
"I haven't faced him in the nets because of different orders, but I've seen him bowl and know the potential he holds. That extra pace is his X-factor...We just need to manage him well because of the heavy workload from state and franchise games. He is a great addition to the Indian team, and we hope he performs well," Suryakumar added.
Suryakumar also stressed the importance of managing fast bowlers carefully due to their demanding schedules in domestic and franchise cricket. With other options like Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana also available, the team has a pool of promising young talent.
India suffered a massive blow before the three T20Is against Bangladesh after Shivam Dube was ruled out of the series owing to a back injury.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released a statement to rule Dube out of the series and named young Tilak Varma as his replacement. The southpaw will link with the Indian team in Gwalior on Sunday morning ahead of the opening T20I.
"All-rounder Shivam Dube is ruled out of the three-match T20I series owing to a back injury. The Senior Selection Committee has named Tilak Varma as Shivam's replacement. Tilak will link up with the squad in Gwalior on Sunday morning," BCCI said in a statement.
Tilak had a blistering outing for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He showed his knack for garnering runs effortlessly by taking the fight against the opposition bowlers.
In 13 matches, he racked up 416 runs at an average of 41.60 at a strike rate of 149.64. His explosiveness in the cash-rich league was further glistened by 35 fours and 19 towering maximums.
The 21-year-old has represented India in 16 T20Is, garnered 336 runs, striking at 139.41 and averaging 33.60 with two fifties to his name.