IPL 2024: Mayank Yadav has more weapons in his arsenal…’hawabaz nahi hai’, he is serious about his game, says coach Devendra Sharma

New Delhi, March 31 (IANS) Mayank Yadav became an overnight sensation after clocking the fastest delivery (155.8 KMPH) bowled in IPL 2024. However, his childhood coach Devendra Sharma believes it was not the “best” from the Lucknow Super Giants pacer as he has much more speed and variations to deliver.

Yadav’s debut in IPL 2024 was indeed memorable, as he showcased his pace and talent to help Lucknow secure their first win of the season. With impressive figures of 3 for 27 in his four overs, Yadav’s performance was exceptional, earning him the Player-of-the-Match Award.

The standout moment for Yadav came when he clocked 155.8kph on the speed gun, delivering the fastest ball of the 2024 season thus far. His aggressive pace and accuracy rattled the Punjab Kings’ batting lineup, turning the tide of the match in Lucknow’s favour.

Speaking to IANS, coach Devendra Sharma — who nurtured Mayank at West Delhi’s Sonnet Cricket Club — lavished praise on the young talent, saying, “This was just a beginning, and I told him last night after the match that he bowled brilliantly and he should keep focussing on his strength, which is speed.”

Asked about the variations in Yadav’s bowling as many times bowlers focus on speed and lose line and length, Devendra said, “He has more weapons in his arsenal… Hawabaz nahi hai, he is serious about his game. He can bowl Yorkers, slower ones, you will see that in coming matches as this was his first game and somewhere I found he was a bit nervous. But he will improve. We all are proud of him.

“The first time I saw him was seven years ago when he came to us with his father. I asked him to bowl and looking at his build, we were amazed by his speed. So, we gave him some games later and he continued to impress all. Even during the LSG trials, he was phenomenal. And thanks to Gautam Gambhir that he was picked in the team (LSG),” the coach added.

“Even in domestic cricket he has clocked 155 kph, so, he is doing great and hopefully regularly, improving, you will see more such deliveries from him in IPL this season.”

–IANS

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