'We can fast-track him': Sanjay Manjrekar thrilled by Mayank Yadav's pace against PBKS

It was a night to remember for 21-year-old Mayank Yadav as he produced a brilliant spell of pace bowling on his IPL debut for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) against Punjab Kings (PBKS). Clocking the fastest delivery of the tournament so far at 155.8 kph, Mayank left cricket fans and experts in awe of his raw pace.

The right-arm speedster from Delhi finished with figures of 3/27, claiming the crucial wickets of Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, and Jitesh Sharma. His fiery spell hampered Punjab's chase of 200 as they fell 21 runs short. Mayank was named Player of the Match on his IPL debut.

Veteran commentator Sanjay Manjrekar was hugely pleased by Mayank's pace, comparing him to the legendary Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar. “India will be buzzing today. We have found the Delhi Express after the Rawalpindi Express from Pakistan. Yeah, wonderful,” Manjrekar told Star Sports.

Also read: Mayank Yadav on his stunning IPL debut against Punjab Kings

Pace doesn’t stay with you for 7-8 years: Sanjay Manjrekar

While praising Mayank's speed, Manjrekar cautioned that such extreme pace is often a young bowler's biggest asset that can fade over time. He urged the Indian team management to fast-track Mayank into the national team to use his skills while at his peak.

"This kind of pace doesn’t stay with you for 7-8 years. When you have a pace, use it like Pakistan did in the past. Waqar Younis, for instance. You sometimes have to fastrack fast bowlers,” Manjrekar added.

“Sometimes, it works. It’s just a format we have to decide. We can fast-track him. I know I am going far too ahead, but I was so excited seeing his pace. The slowest ball he bowled was 139 kph,” he further added.

Also read: Who is Mayank Yadav? - Everything You Need to Know About LSG Fast bowler

Lucknow's new bowling pair of Mayank and Mohsin Khan, who took 2/34, helped the hosts successfully defend the target of 200 runs. Their pace and control put Punjab's batting order on the backfoot after a solid start by the visitors. Shikhar Dhawan's 70 and Jonny Bairstow's 42 were the only standout performances for the visitors.

LSG after losing their opening game against Rajasthan Royals, registered their first victory of the season and are now at the fifth position in the points table. The Lucknow-based franchise will fly to Bengaluru to take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their next fixture on April 2.