Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan believes this is the right time for fast bowler Mayank Yadav to prove himself on the international stage for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the upcoming 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which begins in the next two days.
Mayank Yadav was an important find for the LSG camp last year. This right-arm fast bowler has been the talk of the town since his first match, where he impressed everyone by taking three wickets for just 27 runs in his four-over spell.
One thing that has impressed everyone is his ability to bowl at speeds in excess of 150 km/h consistently, with his fastest ball reaching 155.8 km/h, earning him the Player of the Match award in his first two matches. However, despite his impressive skills, he has been in and out of the team due to injuries in the last two seasons.
Irfan Pathan lauds LSG for supporting Mayank Yadav
Despite playing just six matches in the last two seasons, the Lucknow-based franchise has consistently supported him over the years. After missing the entire 2024 season and playing just two games in 2025, the Rishabh Pant-led side retained him for a whopping ₹11 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction.
However, it will be really interesting to see how Mayank Yadav lives up to the faith shown by his team, as he is now considered fit and available for the entire season in the upcoming edition. He is currently training under bowling coach Bharat Arun at the LSG camp.
Irfan Pathan: He has played only six matches in two years
Talking about Mayank Yadav’s career and form, Irfan Pathan pointed out that the youngster needs to prove himself, especially after playing just six matches in the last two editions despite being backed by the franchise.
“Mayank Yadav has played six matches in two years; that is not enough. He is a retained player and he has to be available this year. If there is no place for him in the team, that is a different thing. The franchises have supported him. Mohsin Khan missed the whole of last year, and even last season he has not played all the matches. But he has been supported, no other franchise does that. I have seen KKR and MI do it, but many Franchises lose patience after one or two seasons,” said Irfan Pathan. On your YouTube channel.
Irfan Pathan said, ‘All eyes will be on Mohammed Shami’
Mohammed Shami He has been out of the Indian team for a long time due to injuries and fitness problems since the 2023 World Cup. His advancing age and fitness concerns were one of the main reasons due to which he was dropped from the BCCI’s central contract list.
Pathan further said that Mohsin Khan was also ruled out of IPL 2025 and has not been seen playing any tournament since December 2024. He highlighted that even after releasing Akash Deep, LSG has significantly strengthened their Indian fast bowling reserves.
“Their fast bowling is quite strong; they have a lot of options. Mohammed Shami has played a lot of domestic cricket, is in form and is experienced. Everyone knows that if there are seaming conditions, you can count on him for a solid two-over spell. Last year, he had to bowl on flat wickets in Hyderabad. I think he will get a lot of help from the Lucknow pitch,” Pathan said.
Shami, who is likely to lead the bowling attack, will be supported by fellow Indian fast bowlers Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar and Naman Tiwary in the IPL 2026 season.
Also Read: Mayank Yadav reveals the real story behind his recovery and Sanjiv Goenka’s support
