The Lucknow Supergiants (LSG) have found a serious impediment to their IPL 2025 season as Mayank Yadav, their major fast bowlers, is bound to miss the first few games due to an injury.
Mayank’s superlative performance in IPL 2024 was marred by a lumbar stress injury he incurred while playing for Team India in a T20 match against Bangladesh. He has not recovered fully yet and will require some time to be back on track in terms of fitness.
At the moment, Mayank is bowling at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), but it looks unlikely for him to be ready at the season’s start. There is no clear timeline for when he might return, but he is expected to return to the team towards the conclusion of the Indian Premiere League (IPL) season.
The Lucknow Super Giants retained Mayank for 11 crores before the mega-auction; he was likely to win matches with his fast bowling, regularly crossing the 150 km/h mark. His absence will greatly affect the team’s bowling plan, and the new captain Rishabh Pant will only feel disheartened at this setback.
Although he has played only four games this season, Mayank’s influence has been big, and his absence in the early stages of IPL 2025 will be felt by the team in the field. For now, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are hoping for the pace prodigy Mayank Yadav to join back around April 11 or 12, and as he continues to make progress in recovery. Earlier reports clarified that he was still healing from a lumbar stress injury.
“As much as we are keen on having him [play IPL 2025], we want him 150 per cent fit not just 100 per cent fit so we will do everything possible to get him there,” stated LSG mentor Zaheer Khan.
