“Might have just shown some desperation” - Former India batter blames management for Mayank Yadav’s performance after PBKS vs LSG IPL 2025 match

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu has slammed the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) management for rushing Mayank Yadav from injury during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign. The speedster is yet to make the speed gun work hard, bowling well below his top speed since completing his rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence.

Mayank Yadav was out of action since October 2024, missing several of India's T20 assignments as well as the entire domestic white-ball season for Delhi. The right-arm pacer could not be fit in time for the start of the IPL 2025 campaign after being retained during the off-season for INR 11 crore.

Following a patient wait, which was prolonged by a recent toe injury, Mayank Yadav made his highly anticipated return during LSG's away clash against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium on April 27. He returned figures of 2-40, accounting for the tickets of Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya in the 54-run loss.

In the recent outing against PBKS in Dharamsala, Mayank Yadav returned dismal figures of 0-60 off his four overs. He was clobbered for three consecutive sixes by Josh Inglis in the very first over of spell, and was the most expensive bowler on show in the 37-run loss.

Ambati Rayudu opined that Mayank Yadav looks undercooked in terms of confidence and fitness after his poor outing against PBKS.

"I think it is a lack of confidence more than pace, because once you are coming back from an injury, it is really hard to really bend your back and get back at your best. We have seen Archer, it took him six months to be back at his best. It will tough if we say he (Mayank) is not performing, but LSG might have just shown some desperation to just get him into the mix, maybe he is not ready yet," Rayudu said on ESPN Cricinfo.

Mayank Yadav had a breakthrough season in IPL 2024, managing to breach the 150 kmph mark consistently. He took seven wickets in four matches in that campaign, with an average of 12.14 and an economy of 6.99.

"We felt that Mayank would bowl early on" - PBKS head coach on promoting Josh Inglis ahead of Shreyas Iyer against LSG in IPL 2025

Mayank Yadav took the new ball in both of his appearances in IPL 2025. While he managed to bowl a tight over against MI at the Wankhede, he conceded 20 runs off his first six deliveries against PBKS.

LSG were looking to put on pressure after Akash Singh delivered the early breakthrough by dismissing Priyansh Arya. But, Inglis, coming in at No.3, diffused the tension with a stunning counter-attack.

"It was actually a move that the captain came up with, and Shreyas thought, on that sort of a pitch, against that bowling attack, it would be the right thing to. If a wicket fell early, to send Inglis in. We felt that Mayank would bowl early on, and if you look at the way he bowls, he generally bowls reasonably short, and that's one of Inglis' great strengths. As you saw tonight, those pull shots were pretty amazing straight away," Ponting said during the post-match press conference (via Cricbuzz).

LSG will next face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Friday, May 9 at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.