'The first-ball wicket summed up my two-year': Mayank Yadav on his dream comeback
Harare, July 24
India fast bowler Mayank Yadav said dismissing Zimbabwe opener Brian Bennett with the very first ball of the opening T20I felt like the perfect conclusion to the long and difficult road back from injury, describing the moment as one that 'summed up' the previous two years of his career.
Making his return to international cricket after a 21-month injury lay-off, Mayank struck with his opening delivery and finished with figures of 2-18 to claim the Player of the Match award as India defeated Zimbabwe by seven wickets at the Harare Sports Club. His spell, along with Prince Yadav's 2-19, restricted the hosts to 125/7 before Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's record-breaking 18-ball fifty powered India to a comfortable victory and a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Reflecting on the emotional significance of the opening-ball wicket, Mayank admitted it instantly made the long wait worthwhile. "So these two years, it was a long, long time, eagerly waiting to play again in Blues. I think today when I took a wicket in the very first ball, it summarised everything from two years, so it feels great now. It was very tough, but at the same time, what I feel, it was very important for me also," he said in a video posted by the BCCI.
The 24-year-old also revealed that a disappointing IPL season, where he went wicketless, had dented his confidence, but conversations with senior players helped him regain belief in his own strengths.
"I was just thinking that I just have to back my skill, I have to back my strength, that's it. Because in IPL, I didn't have a very good season. That was the first time in like many, many years that I didn't get any wickets.
"But after that, I had a chat with a lot of players. So they have only told me one thing: just keep backing your strength, keep believing in yourself. So that is the only thing I was just thinking about before that first ball."
Mayank also paid tribute to the three people he credited for helping him through his recovery, which included his mother, his sister and trainer Rajni, whom he first met at the Centre of Excellence in 2024.
"Three people are there: my mum, my sister and my trainer, Rajni sir. Met him in 2024 for the first time at the COE. I think he is the person who understands me and understands my body very well.
"Somewhere I am stuck, so I just go to him and just ask, like, how should I go about it or what are the things I can do better. Now when I see, like when I am playing again, I just want to perform every day for those three or all the efforts. Try to give all the efforts to those people."
Despite his match-winning spell, Mayank admitted that his biggest emotion after the game was relief.
"More, it's relief because, like after a very long time, the expectation is a lot with me. Keeping pressure on myself, so now I have got these two wickets, I have got the performance. So that is a big relief for me.
"I am very happy that I am back in the team; I am playing again. It's a very mixed emotion for me," he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honestly, I was worried about Mayank after that poor IPL season. Wicketless in 5 matches is tough for any bowler. But the way he's bounced back shows his mental strength. Credit to the BCCI and his trainers for the rehab. Hope he stays fit for the long haul - we need him for the Test matches too.
What a comeback story! 😍 Mayank's journey from injury to taking a wicket on his first ball back is the stuff of cricketing fairy tales. Loved how he credited his mother, sister, and trainer Rajni. Such humility from a young player. The future of Indian fast bowling is in safe hands with him and Prince Yadav!
Impressive performance from Mayank, but let's not get carried away. Zimbabwe's batting lineup is not exactly world-class. The real test will be against Australia or England in home conditions. Hope the selectors don't rush him into all formats. Need to manage his workload carefully to avoid another injury setback.
As a lifelong cricket fan, this is what makes the sport so beautiful. Mayank's honest admission about the mental struggle during his injury layoff touched my heart. "Relief" is exactly the right word - you can see the burden lifted off his shoulders. And Vaibhav's 18-ball fifty was the icing on the cake! 🇮🇳🎉
Great to see Mayank back, but I have some concerns. The Indian selectors have a history of rushing young pacers back after injuries only to see them break down again (remember Varun Aaron
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