Consistency is key in the T20 format: Indian debutant Mayank Yadav

India’s young pacer Mayank Yadav has Indian fans excited with his bowling pace as he made his debut T20 international for the Men in Blue against Bangladesh at the Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia International Cricket Stadium in Gwalior on October 6.

With India dismantling the Bangladesh batting order and restricting them to just 127 on the night, Mayank also got his first wicket for India, which is likely the first of many for the 22-year-old.

Mayank grabbed attention last year for bowling the fastest delivery by any Indian bowler so far for the Lucknow Super Giants IPL side last year. Mayank clocked 156.7 kmph to set the record and has now earned his maiden cap for the national side as well.

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Mayank wasn’t close to his best speeds on the night but clocked his fastest delivery with a speed of 148.7 kmph in his 2nd over.

Mayank Yadav's fastest ball in his debut T20 Match vs BAN
Ball	First over	Second Over	Third over	Fourth over
1st	141 kmph	148.7 kmph	141.4 kmph	145.6 kmph
2nd	145.7 kmph	146.1 kmph (Wicket)	143.6 kmph	106.2 (slow delivery)
3rd	137.9 kmph	149.9 kmph	NA	145.1 kmph
4th	147.3 kmph	Slower ball	143.6 kmph	Slow delivery
5th	135.1 kmph	142.7 kmph	146.7 kmph	145.7 kmph
6th	NA	139.9 kmph	NA	Slow delivery

When asked about how he was feeling before his debut and his journey from the IPL to Team India so far, Mayank said, “I was excited, but to be honest, I was a little more nervous because I was making a comeback almost 3-4 months after my injury. I hadn’t had many opportunities to play competitive cricket, and then suddenly got the chance to make my international debut. So, I was a bit nervous.”

Mayank Yadav on his journey from IPL to Team India

Yadav shared the challenges of his journey from the IPL to his international debut: “The time during my injury was really difficult because I had to go through many phases in the last four months, witnessing ups and downs. For the people working with me, I felt they also faced difficulties. So, the phase between the IPL and my debut was a bit tough,” he said.

Sticking to the basics, Mayank also talked about his approach when he bowls.

“My pace is always in the back of my mind, but throughout my IPL journey, I’ve learned that consistency is key in this format, especially at the international level. Line and length are crucial, and being consistent with them helps — even the batsman starts to respect you. So, recently, I’ve been focusing more on being consistent with my line and length,” Mayank said.

Mayank also shared his conversation with head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of his debut and said, “He [Gambhir] didn’t ask me to do anything extra or differently. His advice was just to focus on my strengths and abilities, and to do what I do best — things that have worked successfully for me in the past. He told me to stick to those and not put pressure on myself by overthinking that I’m now playing international cricket. Just sticking to the basics and playing to my strengths will pave the way forward for me.”