"We need to protect his body...he's itching to go": KL Rahul provides injury update on tearaway Mayank Yadav
Apr 12, 2024
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 13 : Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain KL Rahul on Friday provided an injury update on young pace sensation Mayank Yadav saying the speedster "needs maybe a couple of more games" to rest before making a comeback.
During LSG's previous match, Mayank walked off the field after bowling just one over against Gujarat Titans on Sunday. Later, the team's chief executive informed that the speedster had suffered "soreness in the lower abdominal area" and would have his workload controlled. Mayank has left cricket pundits in awe with his pace, line and length bowling. He was hitting 150 kmph consistently.
Rahul while providing an update said the speedster is ready to make a return however the team need to pull him back a little so they don't rush him back in too early.
"Mayank is not too bad, he looks good, feeling good but we also want to make sure we don't rush him back in too early. He's young, we need to protect his body. He's itching to go, we just have to pull him back a little, maybe a couple of more games, before he comes back," Rahul said in a post-match presentation.
Delhi Capitals made history with a six-wicket win as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for the first time failed to defend a target of more than 160 on their home turf in IPL.
Rahul lamented that his team fell "15-20 runs short" of posting a defendable score and credited Kuldeep Yadav and Jake Fraser-McGurk for turning the match in their team's favour.
LSG were completely blown away by debutant Jake Fraser-McGurk, who orchestrated DC's successful chase. McGurk, who struck the quickest hundred in professional cricket history last year, started his IPL journey with a six and went on to score 55 from 35 balls to help the visitors win. Rahul praised the Australian youngster, saying the surprise aspect he brought with him caught LSG off guard.
"If I want to be harsh, I think we were 15-20 runs short, we got off to a good start, we could have capitalised and got 180. There was a bit of help for the seamers, the odd ball kept low. Kuldeep made its use (and got those wickets.) The new guys when they come in, it's pretty unknown for us. He (Jake Fraser-McGurk) hit the ball well, credit to him. We always walk in with the same mindset, want to hit the right areas. We got Warner in the powerplay, got a couple of wickets after the powerplay," he added.
The Lucknow captain asserted that the catch drop of Fraser-McGruk at the cover on 24 in the 12th overtook the game away from the LSG.
"The set batters - Pant and McGurk took the game away from us after that dropped catch. We travel tomorrow and play an afternoon game (on Sunday). That's how the schedule goes, need to turn up, could be tough during Indian summers. In hindsight, you can always wonder if you could have done something different. There wasn't much spin after Axar's over, so I thought Pooran could have put some pressure on the opposition if he was set. He would have been dangerous, but credit to Kuldeep for getting him out," Rahul said.
With an aim to turn around their campaign in IPL, LSG will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.