Mayank Yadav is one of the brightest stars to emerge from the IPL 2024. The Lucknow Super Giants pacer had been regularly clocking over 150kmph, with his fastest being 156.7 kmph, before an abdominal niggle ruled him out of several games. On April 7, he was taken off the attack after bowling just one over vs Gujarat Titans. After that he missed games against Delhi Capitals (April 12) and Kolkata Knight Riders (April 14). However, a news video by LSG has raised speculation over his comeback.
"Phir se udd chala (flying again)," the post read. Accompanying the post was a video which showed Mayank bowling in full flow. LSG's next match is against CSK on Friday and video has made everyone hopeful of Mayank's return.
Earlier, LSG coach Justin Langer has mentioned that he is hoping that Mayank regains full fitness before the home game against Chennai Super Kings on April 19.
"That's the plan (to have Mayank fit for the match against Chennai Super Kings on April 19). We want him to play every game if possible," Langer had said .
"But he'll be working towards it; he's working very hard every day to be ready for whatever our next game is. He won't play tomorrow, it's unlikely... with the very short turnaround, it's unlikely that he plays these two games. But he's certainly working towards playing whenever he possibly can."
Mayank, who became an overnight sensation by consistently bowling at 150kmph plus on his IPL debut, had gone off the field after bowling just one over against Gujarat Titans on Sunday.
"He felt a little bit of tightness at the top of his hip leading into the last game, but that was about a one-out-of-ten pain, and we thought that they were clinical signs," Langer said.
"Everything through the doctors and the physios seemed perfectly okay. He bowled that first over (against Titans) and started feeling something in his hip. But we had an MRI scan, and there is a very, very small swelling in there. So we are very hopeful he'll start building himself up and be back bowling again soon," added the former Australian opener.
Langer gave a fitness update on left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan, who has missed the team's last two games due to injury.
"He's out there bowling now. He had a little bit of disc flare up in his back. He and Mayank are very important to us. He's gone through all the treatment - it's really good to have an excellent medical staff. He's bowling today in the middle," he said.
"He might be available tomorrow, but more than likely - and hopefully - we'll be looking at the Kolkata game, where that extra pace will be valuable. But he's on the right path - fingers crossed," he added.
With PTI inputs