Image Credit- BCCI
In Lucknow on Sunday, Mayank Yadav left the pitch after only one over of bowling against the Gujarat Titans. Mayank’s speed was reduced before he could leave the field, and in the fourth over of GT’s vain attempt to chase the 163 for 5 lead held by the Lucknow Super Giants, he was hit for three boundaries.
Taking 3 for 11 in his four overs, Krunal Pandya severely damaged Titans’ middle order while the speed spearhead was out of the game. He also dismissed worries about Mayank, who is by far the most intriguing rookie in the 2024 Indian Premier League.
“I don’t know what is happening but I did have a brief couple of seconds’ chat – he seemed okay, which was quite a relief for us,” Krunal said on the broadcast.
“A bright prospect, I’d been watching him from last two years. He used to bowl gun in the nets,” Krunal said. “Last year, unfortunately, missed it [due to injury]. But again, whatever conversation I have had, what I see is that he has a good head on his shoulders as well.”
The relief stems from the fact that Mayank, who bowled with exceptional pace and had combined returns of 6 for 41 from his two games prior to this one, has been LSG’s most outstanding fast bowler thus far in the competition.
On Sunday night, after being brought on in the seventh over, Krunal ruined the Titans’ chase. Bowling to B Sai Sudharsan and Kane Williamson, he conceded just two runs in his opening over and then claimed two wickets in his following over. In his subsequent over, he conceded four runs and eventually removed Darshan Nalkande from the game.
The big wicket was that of Sai Sudharsan, who scored a 23-ball 31. On being asked how he overcame the unfavourable match-up against the left-hand batter, Krunal said, “I like to know the batsman’s strengths and weaknesses and bowl according to that. Some days it comes off and some days it doesn’t.
“At the end of the day, I back my strength and I had the longer side [of the boundary on the leg side]. So I made sure that if I’m going to get hit, I’ll get hit over deep midwicket, not off side.”