Emotions were certainly on the up as young speed demon, Mayank Yadav got to know about his selection to Team India’s T20I squad that is set to take on Bangladesh in a three-match series beginning on October 6.
The 22-year-old lit up the Indian Premier League with his 150 kph bullets when playing for the Lucknow Super Giants after which his season was cut short with injuries which resulted in an extended period at the National Cricket Academy where he underwent rehab.
Speaking in an interview with the Times of India (TOI), the young pacer spoke about how he got the news of his selection.
“I wasn’t aware of the selection. But I saw my mates here receiving congratulatory calls. I just checked the BCCI website and got to know my name was there,” he shared.
After being informed of his selection, Yadav went on to call his mother to share the good news. It turned out to be an emotional affair as the young pacer reflected on how far he has come.
“Once I put down the phone, I had flashbacks in front of my eyes—from the day I first went to Sonnet Club to the four anxious months spent at the NCA to recover from frequent niggles,” he added.
Mayank Looking to Make it Count
With all eyes being on the youngster’s highly awaited debut, Mayank’s objective remains clear, to make the most out of the opportunities he gets. This was a piece of advice he received by the LSG mentor at the time, Gautam Gambhir who is now the Head Coach of the national side.
“Gautam bhaiya once told me that there will be players who get multiple chances to prove themselves and there will be some who will get just one opportunity,” Yadav commented.
Financially as well, it was a struggle for the 22-year-old who recalled an instance where he could not get a shoe sponsor despite being associated with LSG. But the LSG management’s continuous backing stayed with him for the long run.
“I was struggling to even find a sponsor for my shoe despite being in an IPL team and having played for Delhi. Gautam bhaiya’s words stayed with me. He and Vijay Dahiya (former coach at LSG) had clearly told me that I would get my first game after one or two years,” he added.
Making the most out of his opportunities, it was all about performing when his chance came. From bowling absolute rockets, Yadav displayed a rare occurrence where an Indian fast bowler was able to hit 150 kph with ease and make a massive statement in the IPL, thus improving his fortunes.
“When the opportunity came this year, I had to make it count. The day after my IPL debut, I got offers for my bowling shoes,” he shared.
Comments
0 comment