Mayank Yadav declared fit and ready to go as LSG weigh selection for RCB clash
Lucknow Super Giants have been nursing Mayank Yadav back to full fitness since the start of IPL 2026, and team director Tom Moody says the wait is over. Speaking ahead of tonight's match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Moody confirmed that Mayank is "ready to go" and available for selection for the first time this season.
Long road back from surgery
Mayank's path to this point has been anything but straightforward. A stress fracture in his lower back cut short his 2025 IPL campaign after just two appearances and required surgery in New Zealand. What followed was an eight-month rehabilitation programme at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he worked alongside Jasprit Bumrah, who was recovering from his own back surgery at the time.
The 23-year-old credits Bumrah for helping him through the toughest stretch. "He was like a teacher," Mayank said in a recent interview. "He helped me understand that respecting the body is not weakness. It is just smart." By the time the T20 World Cup warm-ups came around in early February, Mayank was bowling at full pace for India A, clocking above 150 km/h and showing no signs of discomfort.
Why the delay?
Moody explained that Mayank's absence from the playing XI through the first four matches was never about injury. "He didn't come into our thinking early on because he was still a little underdone, not from a fitness point of view, but in terms of bowling loads and feeling comfortable at the crease," Moody said. LSG head coach Justin Langer has been meticulous about building Mayank's workload gradually rather than throwing him into match situations before he felt ready.
That cautious approach has been validated. LSG's bowling has held up well without him, with Mohammed Shami leading the attack alongside Avesh Khan and Prince Yadav. Moody acknowledged the selection headache that Mayank's return creates: "Our bowling has been pretty solid, so it gives us a good problem to have."
What Mayank brings to the table
In his six IPL appearances across 2024 and 2025, Mayank took nine wickets at a best of 3/14, that performance coming against tonight's opponents RCB. Raw pace above 150 km/h is rare in Indian cricket, and Mayank's ability to bowl sharp bouncers and yorkers in the death overs makes him a genuine match-winner on his day.
Whether he plays tonight or not, the signal from LSG is clear. Mayank is no longer being wrapped in cotton wool. With the tournament heading into its busiest stretch, the express pacer could be the X-factor that lifts Lucknow's campaign. RCB, who sit third with six points from four matches, will be hoping they don't have to face him on his old hunting ground at Chinnaswamy.
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