New Delhi, March 23 – Lucknow Super Giants’ fast bowler Mayank Yadav, who impressed the world two seasons ago, has spoken about his fitness journey, his childhood inspirations as a fast bowler, and his relationship with India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
Mayank Yadav spoke about his early inspiration for fast bowling: "When I used to play in the streets, I didn't know how to bowl spin. So, I only bowled fast. My passion for fast bowling began in childhood. My father also used to show me a lot of videos of fast bowlers. I particularly liked two of their pacers, our current bowling coach, Morne Morkel, and Dale Steyn. Through them, I developed a love for fast bowling."
Speaking on JioStar's IPL Today Live about how his ability to bowl at high speeds was discovered, Mayank Yadav said, "I wouldn't say that my ability to bowl at high speeds was always there. Now, many people say, 'Mayank Yadav is a natural talent'. It feels good. But I wasn't a natural talent from the start. With fast bowling, things are always a bit uncertain – whether you can do it or not."
"This part of the game is very delicate. There is a lot of stress on the body, both physically and mentally. When I first came to the IPL, our trainers used to measure our bowling speed with a speed gun. At that time, I realized that I had this talent, this gift. So now, I have to respect it," he added.
Mayank was ruled out of IPL 2025 due to another back injury after playing just two games. Speaking about how his approach to fitness changed after surgery, Mayank said, "Everything has changed for me post-surgery. Earlier, I never used to take care of myself. Whenever I had to do a recovery session, I would avoid it and neglect many aspects. But after the surgery, I paid a lot of attention to recovery, nutrition, and sleep. The more I respect my body, the more my body respects me on the field."
Speaking about his relationship with Bumrah, Yadav said, "When I was in rehab at the NCA, Bumrah bhaiya was also there. So, I have a very good relationship with him. He is like a teacher to me. He also had the same surgery, the same situation. Bumrah bhaiya shared his experience of how to come back after surgery and what things to pay attention to. He told me how the body will be during recovery, how it will react. Sometimes it will feel good, sometimes not. Whenever we talk on the phone or via messages, he shares his experience as much as possible."
