IPL 2021: “You have to stay on your toes all the time” - Jayant Yadav on playing after a break

Mumbai Indians (MI) all-rounder Jayant Yadav has said that every player in an IPL team must be ready to perform when opportunities come their way.

Jayant Yadav played his first match of IPL 2021 against Delhi Capitals (DC) on Tuesday in Chennai. He did a reasonable job, scoring 23 with the bat and claiming one for 25 with the ball. MI, however, lost the game by six wickets, as they managed to post only 137 for 9, batting first, a total DC overhauled with five balls to spare.

He last appeared in the MI playing XI during the IPL 2020 final. At a virtual press conference, Jayant Yadav was asked by Sportskeeda about how he prepared for the game, to which he replied:

“IPL is such a tournament where you have to stay on your toes all the time. There’s a squad of 25 players, but at the end of the day, only 11 come to the field. You have to buy into whatever the captain and management requires of you. There’s a clear-cut communication of the roles each and everyone has to play.”

Jayant Yadav continued:

“Regarding today’s match, as I said, IPL is a very long tournament, and you have to prepare accordingly. You just have to be professional about it."

How did Jayant Yadav fare in IPL 2020 final?

Jayant Yadav had a key role to play in MI’s IPL 2020 final triumph in Dubai. He got the big wicket of the in-form Shikhar Dhawan. Yadav cleaned up the left-hander for 15 with a flighted delivery that beat the batsman’s slog-sweep and crashed onto his stumps.

At the other end, Trent Boult had taken out Marcus Stoinis and Ajinkya Rahane, but Dhawan was the dangerman for MI. Jayant Yadav went on to bowl his four overs for 25 and replicated the exact figures on Tuesday, albeit in a losing cause.

Jayant Yadav has featured in only 15 IPL games to date, scoring 29 runs and picking up seven wickets.

The 31-year-old Yadav has also played four Tests and one ODI for India. He has scored a Test century, which he did so against England in Mumbai in December 2016 after coming out to bat at no. 9.