Mayank Yadav breaks silence on two-year injury layoff after Player of the Match return for India

India got off to a comfortable start in the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe with a seven-wicket win in Harare. While teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was in the limelight with a record-breaking half-century, another comeback story went unnoticed as a young fast bowler made his return with a match-winning spell.

Mayank Yadav, who was on the sidelines for nearly two years owing to injuries, made his comeback in style with a Player of the Match performance that handed India a 1-0 lead in the series.

Mayank returns with a Player of the Match performance

Playing his first international match after a long injury lay-off, Mayank wasted no time in making an impact. He struck with the very first ball of the match and finished with excellent figures of 2/18 from his four overs.

Add Cricket Country as a Preferred Source

Along with fellow Delhi pacer Prince Yadav (2/19), Mayank dismantled Zimbabwe’s top order and played a key role in restricting the hosts to 125/7. India later chased down the target comfortably, thanks to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s explosive half-century.

Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi reveals why Harare feels special after historic innings, explains emotional celebration

‘The last two years were mentally very difficult’: Mayank

Speaking after receiving the Player of the Match award, Mayank admitted that staying away from cricket for such a long period was one of the toughest phases of his life.

“It was very difficult, especially this two-year gap was very challenging for me as a person because the main thing is age wasn’t on my side at that time. I was only 22 or 23 years old.

“So that thing always affected me that at such a young age, I’m having to see so much. At the same time, the motivation to play for the country exists from childhood for every player. So that motivation was there for me that I should return to play for the country and perform the way I did.“

Dream comeback begins with first-ball wicket

Mayank’s return could not have started in a better fashion. Bowling the opening over, he dismissed Zimbabwe opener Brian Bennett off the very first delivery of the match after India successfully overturned the on-field decision through DRS.

He later removed Dion Myers, using his pace and bounce to trouble the Zimbabwe batters throughout his spell.

Despite some resistance from Wessly Madhevere (39) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (27 not out), Zimbabwe never recovered from the early collapse.

Mayank praises captain Shreyas Iyer

The speedster also spoke highly of new India captain Shreyas Iyer, saying the skipper gave his bowlers complete freedom and confidence to execute their plans.

“I didn’t speak much to him before the match. But when he was captaining, I felt that he showed a lot of confidence in the bowlers and I felt very good that whatever I wanted to bowl, he backed that,” Mayank said.

“When he gave me some advice too, I felt very confident that I could back that and it was a good option. I felt very free playing with him. It’s the first time I’m playing under his captaincy. I’ve only seen him lead on TV or with other teams, so it felt very good.”

Read Must: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi creates two historic world records with 18 ball Fifty in India’s easy win

India eye series victory

India’s convincing performance in Harare has given them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. With confidence high after an all-round display, Shreyas Iyer’s side will now look to wrap up the series when they face Zimbabwe in the second T20I on Saturday.

For Mayank Yadav, however, this victory meant much more than just a winning comeback. After battling injuries and spending nearly two years away from international cricket, the young fast bowler finally reminded everyone why he is regarded as one of India’s most exciting pace prospects.