'India have problem of getting overexcited with young pacers, similar thing happened to Varun Aaron' - Atul Wassan on Mayank Yadav's injury debate

Former India speedster Atul Wassan said that Indians have the tendency to get overexcited when they see young pacers who can bowl quick and demand that they play in ICC (International Cricket Council) events even before their bodies are ready for the workload.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacer Mayank Yadav burst onto the scene in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) as he produced two Player of the Match award-winning spells in his first two games in the competition. He caught the attention of the cricket fraternity with his ability to bowl consistently at speeds in excess of 150 kph. The fastest delivery in IPL 2024 currently belongs to the 21-year-old as he bowled a 156.7 kph rocket in a game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

However, in his third match, the right-arm seamer bowled just one over before walking off the field with an injury. Later, Lucknow head coach Justin Langer revealed that MRI reports of Mayank Yadav have confirmed a minor swelling in his abdominal area. According to the former Australian opener, Mayank could miss the next two games for the KL Rahul-led franchise.

Also Read: Mayank Yadav unlikely to play next two games: Justin Langer

After the New Delhi-born's stunning initiation to the cash-rich league, some fans want the Indian selectors to pick him in the squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 which is slated to take place in June, later this year. Cricketer-turned-commentator Wassan stated that Indians have the problem of pushing young pacers to play marquee events even before they are physically ready.

“It is the problem with the Indian mindset, whenever a young speedster comes into the picture, they get overexcited and want him to play the events like the World Cup or similar kinds of big events. They become judges just based on two matches. Your height, weight and size play a crucial role as a pacer, you need some hard bones to survive as an out-and-out pacer," Wassan told ‘Indian Sports Fans’ founder Sunil Yash Kalra in a live TV show on India News.

Also Read: Mayank Yadav wins hearts by taking selfie with fans, video goes viral

Kapil Dev could also bowl out-and-out pace but he knew these guys would overhype him: Wassan

The 56-year-old gave the example of former India pacer Varun Aaron, who had the ability to bowl at great speeds but could play only 18 international matches for the Men in Blue in an injury-ridden career. Wassan also said that the legendary Kapil Dev could bowl faster than he used to but he knew it would not be beneficial for him in the long run.

"I am saying it all because if a guy gets injured, they throw him out. A similar kind of thing happened with Varun Aaron, he got overexcited and it went on to cost him. Kapil Dev could also bowl the out-and-out pace bowling but he knew that these guys would overhype him and would also push him aside after getting injured," Wassan, who played four Tests and nine ODIs for India, stated.