After a 353-day injury layoff, Mayank Yadav made his return to the IPL, showcasing his raw pace and potential.
Key Points
- Mayank Yadav returned to the IPL after a 353-day injury layoff due to a lower back stress fracture.
- Despite a costly final over, Mayank's raw pace, reaching 149-151 kmph, was evident in his comeback.
- Mayank's presence in the Lucknow Super Giants' attack changes how batters approach the game.
After 353 days on the sidelines -- sidelined by a severe lower back stress fracture -- Mayank Yadav walked back into an IPL game at the Ekana cricket stadium on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
The 23-year-old tearaway from Delhi's Sonnet Club, who became an overnight sensation in 2024 as the first player ever to win Player of the Match in each of his first two IPL appearances, finally had a ball in hand again in an IPL game.
He was also retained by Lucknow Super Giants for a massive Rs 11 crore (Rs 110 million) ahead of the 2026 season, a clear sign LSG still back him strongly despite his long injury layoff.
Analysing Mayank Yadav's Comeback Performance
For a bowler who once hit 156.7 kmph, the months on the bench must have felt endless.
The question wasn't whether he could bowl fast. The question was whether his body would hold up for four complete overs.
It wasn't perfect. It was never going to be.
Here's how they went.
Mayank came on after Mohammed Shami and Mohsin Khan had already done some damage to the Rajasthan top-order, and his first over was actually encouraging -- natural rhythm, a lovely loopy slower-ball yorker, and just 10 runs off it, though Riyan Parag got him for a six off the last delivery.
The second over was harder. Shimron Hetmyer simply read him well-- sitting deep in his crease, using quick hands to punish anything that was there to hit. Started with a six and then slammed back-to-back-boundaries. Mayank tried to counter with slower balls and it worked briefly, but the over was expensive enough that Captain Rishabh Pant took him off.
Key Moments and Challenges in Yadav's Return
When he came back for his third over, the match situation had shifted. Hetmyer was gone, and Ravindra Jadeja and Donovan Ferreira were rebuilding carefully. Mayank's pace was working -- he hit 149 kmph multiple times and crucially, he wasn't straining to get there. It looked smooth but gave away 12 runs as Ferreira slammed him for a boundary off the last ball.
Then came the final over.
Bowling the last over of the first innings is a thankless task at the best of times. Pant's decision to hand it to Mayank was questionable and the execution didn't help matters. With Jadeja on strike, Mayank kept going back to the slower ball -- even as the field was set for short-of-length pace.
Jadeja punished him for it: Two boundaries, a six, 20 runs off the over. At one point, a visibly frustrated Pant walked over and told him bluntly to bowl fast. Mayank did, eventually. But the damage was done.
The Impact of Yadav's Pace on Lucknow Super Giants
Final figures: 4 overs, 0 wickets, 56 runs -- look brutal on a scorecard. But they obscure what actually happened: A bowler returning from serious spinal damage, completing four unbroken overs, repeatedly touching 149 to 151 kmph, and doing so without any visible physical distress.
The slower ball reliance was overdone. The final over was mismanaged. And yes, a wicketless return on comeback night was not the fairytale anyone had scripted.
The rust was obvious and Mayank Yadav leaned a bit too much on slower balls.
But the exciting part? His raw pace is still there. Even on an off day, just having him in the attack changes how batters think and play -- something Lucknow Super Giants have badly missed with the new ball.
While Mayank had a tough outing, others stepped up. Mohammed Shami showed his class with a couple of brilliant deliveries, finishing with 2/30. Mohsin Khan was just as impressive, keeping things tight and picking up 2/17.
If Mayank finds his rhythm in the coming matches, LSG's bowling attack could suddenly look a lot more dangerous.
This Lucknow Super Giants all-Indian pace attack is definitely one to watch.
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