India pacer Mayank Yadav said he felt comfortable playing under captain Shreyas Iyer in the course of the opening T20I against Zimbabwe on the Harare Sports Club on Thursday, July 23. The speedster enjoyed a dream comeback, returning figures of two/18 in India’s seven-wicket victory to earn the Player of the Match award.
Mayank’s selection in India’s second-string squad for the Zimbabwe tour got here as a surprise to many. The 24-year-old had not represented India for the reason that home T20I series against Bangladesh in 2024, with a string of injuries keeping him out of motion. He also endured a disappointing IPL 2026 campaign, ending with out a wicket in 4 appearances.
Nevertheless, the right-arm quick made a right away impact within the series opener. Recurrently clocking speeds near 150 kmph, Mayank dismissed Brian Bennett with the very first ball of the match before removing Dion Myers in the course of the powerplay to place Zimbabwe on the back foot.
After being named Player of the Match for his match-winning spell, Mayank Yadav reflected on his experience of playing under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy for the primary time.
“I hadn’t spoken to him much before the sport. But in the course of the game, he showed a whole lot of confidence within the bowlers. I felt good that he backed what I desired to bowl. When he gave me some advice, I felt confident in executing it and felt it was a superb option at the moment.”
“I felt quite free playing under him. I used to be playing under his captaincy for the primary time. I had only watched him on TV or lead other teams. I felt superb to play under him,” Mayank Yadav said in the course of the post-match presentation (via Cricinfo)
“I Needed to Suffer So Much”: Mayank Yadav Reflects on Difficult Comeback
Mayank Yadav spent a protracted period on the sidelines following his international debut in 2024, along with his injury troubles also disrupting his IPL 2025 campaign for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He managed to play just two matches before suffering one other injury setback.
The speedster eventually returned to competitive cricket for India A within the warm-up matches ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup against Namibia and the USA. Reflecting on his journey, Mayank spoke concerning the repeated injuries that limited him to only just a few competitive games over the past two years and the long rehabilitation process he needed to endure.
“It was very difficult, especially the gap of two years was a challenge because age wasn’t on my side. I used to be just 22-23 [years old]. I felt that I needed to suffer a lot at a young age. At the identical time, the motivation to play for the country was at all times there. So I desired to make a comeback and perform as I did before,” Mayank Yadav said.
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