Image Credit- BCCI
Mayank Yadav has dominated the headlines this IPL season with his ferocious pace and intimidating hard lengths. However, he was not only strangely called on during the powerplay in the match against Gujarat Titans, but he also ended up giving up a couple boundaries while bowling just over 140 ticks. With a side strain, he was forced to leave the pitch and just bowled one over.
At that moment, the scene was set for a new hero, and Yash Thakur did not lose time in seizing the chance. The 25-year-old decimated the Titans batting lineup in the IPL by taking his first five wicket haul.
While Thakur’s speed may not be particularly frightening, his ability to vary lengths and pace is outstanding. With Mayank serving as the enforcer in this bowling attack, he is presumably the supporting cast, but the Vidarbha pacer didn’t seem to mind being the underutilised asset.
“Once Mayank went, Rahul sir told me that this could be my day and that I could win the game for the side. He told me to back myself and told me to back the controllables instead of worrying about what I can’t control,” said Thakur at the post-match press conference.
“Very few can bowl at the speeds that he (Mayank) does, it is a God-given gift. I know my limitations and my strengths. I just back my strengths.
“My focus this season is to have clarity in my plans. I’ve tried to keep things simple instead of thinking too many things at a time. I’ve tried to only focus on the things that I can control.”
Since their debut in the 2022 campaign, LSG has gained recognition for their ability to protect totals, especially in situations where the scores aren’t particularly high. similar to how this fixture was. After reaching 163, KL Rahul’s team appeared to be ten or fifteen runs shy of a winning total on the Ekana Cricket Stadium’s playing field. The onus was all on the Super Giants as the Titans jumped out to a quick lead in the PowerPlay. Their comeback was sparked when Thakur trapped Shubman Gill with the last ball of the sixth over. The guests were never able to recover from the sudden and severe collapse that it caused.
“We felt that the pitch was on the slower side and possibly getting slower through the game. We discussed our plans and the idea was to stick to it even if runs were being scored off it. We were getting success from our variations and his (Rahul) advice was to persist with it,” Thakur said.