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Mayank Yadav should finally be back in a Lucknow Super Giants shirt on Wednesday night, with the coaching staff satisfied that the quick is “ready to go”. The 24-year-old last played an IPL fixture early in 2024 before a string of injuries and rehabilitation programmes stalled his progress.
Tom Moody, LSG’s global director of cricket, explained why the pacer was held back during the opening fortnight of IPL 2026. “He didn’t come into our thinking early in the tournament because he was still a little underdone. Not from a fitness point of view – his fitness was good – but in terms of bowling loads and feeling comfortable at the crease,” Moody told reporters at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. “We feel he is now at that point. He has worked exceptionally hard. But that does give us a selection headache because our bowling has been pretty solid so far. We just haven’t produced the runs to support that.”
Those comments sum up Lucknow’s start: tidy with the ball, inconsistent with the bat, and now juggling resources. Avesh Khan, who spent January with Durban Super Giants in SA20 to prepare for this campaign, has leaked 10.4 an over yet still offers know-how in the closing overs. If Mayank is picked, Avesh is the most obvious player to miss out. Mohsin Khan is also close, pending a fitness test on match day. “The likes of Mayank, Mohsin [Khan] and Avesh have all had long-term injuries,” Moody added. “Our medical team has worked exceptionally hard to get them ready. They’re all available now. Mohsin will probably have a final test on match day.”
Mayank’s return has been carefully managed. On Tuesday evening he bowled a handful of sharp, straight-line deliveries, then a brisk two-over spell that had the speed-gun flicking above 150 kph. He finished with mobility stretches before chatting again with bowling coach B Arun. No discomfort, no strapping, just a fast bowler itching to be unleashed.
Two years ago, the Delhi-born right-armer lit up the same ground by touching 156.7 kph and forcing Indian selectors to take notice. An international debut followed, yet so did a cycle of side strains and back twinges. Now, after six weeks of workload graphs, gym sessions and quiet nets, he is deemed match-ready rather than merely fit – a crucial distinction for anyone who relies on speed through the crease.
Selection headaches of a different sort surround the batting order. Mukul Choudhary, who smashed 54 not out from 27 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders – including a penultimate-ball six and a scrambled bye off the last – has gone from squad player to headline act in one night. Moody accepts the attendant hype but wants calm around the 23-year-old: “That’s a trap for any young player,” he warned, urging patience as opponents begin to plan for the left-hander.
LSG have gained a reputation for unearthing one rookie a season. Mayank in 2024, Digvesh Rathi last year, and now Mukul. The conveyor belt speaks to healthy scouting, yet the side have still missed the play-offs twice on the bounce. They sit mid-table again: bowling unit ticking over, batting spluttering, margins tight. Bengaluru’s small boundaries and unforgiving pitch promise another stern examination.
Key questions before Wednesday’s fixture
• Who makes way if Mayank plays – Avesh, an extra batter, or one of the spinners?
• Can captain KL Rahul find rhythm at the top after two middling scores?
• Will the returning pace trio stay fit long enough for Lucknow to mount a sustained charge?
Answers will emerge over the next four hours of cricket, though injuries and form rarely read the script. What is clear, at least, is that Mayank Yadav is back in contention, the speedometer primed, and Lucknow supporters hopeful that the story this time lasts longer than a single, thrilling burst.
