Mayank Yadav received valuable advice from India head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of his international debut against Bangladesh.
One of the fastest pacers in the world, Mayank Yadav had an impressive international debut, taking a wicket as India secured a 7-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the opening T20I of the 3-match series on Sunday. Known for his express pace, Mayank impressed not only with his speed but also with his skillful variations. After the match, Mayank shared an important message he received from coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of his debut.
“I was excited but also quite nervous,” Yadav shared in an interview with Jio Cinema after the match. “This series marked my comeback after an injury. I hadn’t played competitive cricket in a while and then made my debut, which added to the nerves.”
He further reflected on his challenging recovery, stating, “The recovery period was tough for me, with many ups and downs over the past four months. But it was even harder for the people who supported me throughout.”
Mayank emphasized that his focus in the match was on bowling accurate lengths rather than pure speed. As it was his international debut, he prioritized being economical over bowling at maximum velocity.
“Today, I concentrated on my body and was committed to hitting the right lengths instead of focusing on speed. I didn’t think about pace; I just aimed to keep the runs in check and bowl with the proper line and length,” he explained.
He also spoke about adjusting his strategy: “I used slower deliveries in the IPL, but not frequently. My captain advised me to rely on my stock ball instead of trying too many variations. However, in Gwalior, where the wicket didn’t have much bounce, I adapted my pace accordingly.”
Mayank revealed an essential piece of advice from head coach Gautam Gambhir: “He told me not to overthink my debut and to focus on the basics. Gambhir stressed that I should stick to what has worked for me in the past and not worry about trying new things or the fact that it was an international game. The key was to follow the process,” Yadav concluded.
