TOI Sports Desk
NEW DELHI: In a significant setback for Team India, they will be without tearaway pacer Mayank Yadav for the upcoming four-match series against South Africa.
The BCCI announced the 15-member squad for the series, which begins on November 8, confirming that Mayank has been sidelined once again due to injury.
Mayank, who debuted internationally in the recent home T20Is against Bangladesh, has been plagued by recurring injuries, including an abdominal muscle issue that forced him to miss IPL 2024.
He made a striking tournament debut for Lucknow Super Giants, consistently bowling at speeds over 150 kph and earning the Player of the Match award in his first two games.
He claimed 3 wickets for 27 runs in his four overs, reaching a top speed of 155.8 kph. In his second IPL game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Mayank improved upon that, clocking 156.7 kph – the fastest ball recorded in IPL 2024.
He consistently exceeded the 150 kph mark, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 14 in his four overs. Notably, Mayank became the first player in IPL history to win the Player of the Match award in his first two matches.
In the squad announcement, India included all-rounder Ramandeep Singh and pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak. Notably, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Reddy, who featured in the Bangladesh T20Is, are absent as they will be traveling to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Meanwhile, spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel, along with pacers Yash Dayal and Avesh Khan, has been added to the squad.