Mayank Yadav is all set to script a comeback story in IPL 2026, and this time, the young speedster appears far more prepared—both physically and mentally. After battling a series of injuries over the last two seasons, the Lucknow Super Giants pacer is finally ready to return to competitive cricket with renewed focus. The journey hasn’t been straightforward. Mayank burst onto the scene in IPL 2024 with raw pace and aggression, but injuries soon disrupted his momentum.

A serious back issue then ruled him out of IPL 2025, forcing him into a long rehabilitation phase at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Reflecting on that phase, Mayank Yadav admitted that his outlook towards fitness has completely changed after surgery.

“Everything has changed for me post-surgery. Earlier, I never used to take care of myself. Whenever I had to do a recovery session, I used to avoid it and neglect many aspects. But after the surgery, I paid a lot of attention to recovery, nutrition and sleep,” he said. He further added, “The more I respect my body, the more my body respects me on the field.” 

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One of the biggest influences during his recovery was Jasprit Bumrah, who shared valuable insights from his own injury comeback. The two developed a strong bond during their time at the NCA, and Mayank credits those conversations as crucial to his progress.

“When I was in rehab at the NCA, Bumrah bhaiya was also there. I have a very good bond with him. He is like a teacher to me. He also had the same surgery, the same scenario,” Mayank Yadav revealed. He continued, “Bumrah bhaiya shared his experience of how to come back after surgery and what things to pay attention to. He told me how the body will be during recovery… Sometimes it will feel good, sometimes not.”

Interestingly, Mayank Yadav only realised the extent of his pace once he entered the IPL setup, where speed guns highlighted his natural ability. “When I came to the IPL for the first time, our trainers used to measure our bowling speed with a speed gun. At that time, I came to know that I have this talent, I have this gift,” he said. He added, “With fast bowling, things are always a little dicey… there is a lot of stress on the body, physically and mentally.”

Mayank’s love for pace dates back to his childhood, shaped by watching legends like Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.

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“Mostly, when India used to play in South Africa, I used to watch those matches. I really liked Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. Through them, I got the craze to bowl fast,” he said. With lessons learned and fitness regained, Mayank Yadav now heads into IPL 2026 determined to make his pace count once again.