Mayank Yadav may have caught everyone’s attention in the ongoing IPL with his raw pace and razor-sharp control, but it’s “not wise” to fast-track him to Test cricket, feels two-time World Cup-winning Australian allrounder Shane Watson.
Since debuting against Punjab Kings, the 21-year-old Lucknow Super Giants pacer has turned heads with successive match-winning performances to revive his team’s campaign.
“Obviously, the talk of the town is Mayank Yadav, to be able to see someone of his world-class speed and then also world-class skill on display… Lucknow Super Giants are unbelievably lucky to be able to have him,” said Watson on JioCinema.
Following his debut figures of 3/27 where he stunned Englishman Jonny Bairstow with his searing pace, he rocked Royal Challengers Bengaluru, grabbing 3/14.
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He blew away Australian allrounder Glenn Maxwell with a 151kph delivery, and then cleaned up his teammate Cameron Green.
“To be able to perform on the big stage against the best batters in the world and dominate them and blow them away is something very, very special.” So is he ready for the Tests, with the year-ending five-match series Down Under in the pipeline? “Of course, in a perfect world, you’d love to see him playing Test cricket, but just knowing how challenging it is on your body as a fast bowler, to be able to get your body accustomed and resilient enough to be able to handle bowling at high speed, 15-20 overs a day in a Test match on a flat wicket, right now, I don’t see it necessary to be able to push his body to that limit.
“There’s not too many fast bowlers in the world who come through and are able to bowl at the speed and the control that Mayank does have, so they need to harness that young man’s incredible talent and skill that he’s got. So, by pushing him to play Test cricket right now, I think that’s not wise at all.
“I personally think it’s a waste if Indian cricket, really trying to push him into four-day cricket and Test cricket, knowing the incredible value that he can provide in T20 and one-day cricket for India.
“I’ve seen it in the past, whether it’s in India or other parts of the world, when everyone gets very excited about a young speedster that comes in, the thought is always, ‘oh, let’s push him to play Test cricket because that’s the ultimate’, and it certainly is, but that does take time.
“While his body is going to mature and get more resilient, which does take a number of years, then I think just by playing T20 and one-day cricket will gradually build up his resilience.
“So I’d love to just see him play the shorter formats while he’s just getting used to his body and his body’s building that strength that he does need,” Watson added.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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