Raw pace has got him the attention but Mayank Yadav knows that it is consistency that will assure him of a steady run in Indian cricket after overcoming several fitness-related "ups and downs" to make an eagerly-anticipated international debut.
The 21-year-old Delhi speedster, who had bowled the 10 fastest deliveries (all above 150 clicks) in the IPL this year, unsettled the Bangladesh batters with his speed in the opening T20 International here on Sunday.
His figures of 1/21 in four overs with 14 dot balls in his maiden international appearance dispelled all doubts about his fitness status.
"I was excited, but to be honest, I was a little more nervous because I was making a comeback almost three-four 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 told Jio Cinema after his debut.
Having shot to instant stardom for Lucknow Super Giants with consecutive player of the match awards during IPL, his exciting start was cut short by an abdominal strain which forced him to undergo a lengthy rehabilitation programme at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
While pace will always be his calling card, Mayank understands that at the international level, a consistent line and length will help him enjoy success for a longer period.
"My pace is always at 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 really helps as the batters starts to respect you. So, recently, I've been focusing more on being consistent with my line and length," the Delhiite said.
The youngster also opened about the psychological challenges of recovering from his injury and how it made him more nervous before his debut game.
"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 revealed.
While during IPL, he focussed on extreme pace by consistently hitting back of the length, the T20I here unveiled a different facet of his bowling -- using the slower deliveries to good effect.
"During the IPL season, I didn't use slower balls much because they weren't really required. I used to talk with my captain (LSG skipper KL Rahul), and he would ask me to focus on my stock deliveries.
"If the wicket was helping me, I wouldn't try too many variations. So, I relied on my stock balls and didn't use slower ones as much. But today, the wicket was slow, with little bounce and keeping low, so I realised that a change of pace might help," he explained.
Mayank also shared Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir's advice to him. he said the former opener didn't him me to do anything 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 over-thinking that I am now playing international cricket." He was all praise for skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who comforted him before he marked his run-up.
"He (Suryakumar) gives you freedom. When I was taking the run-up, he was telling me 'do what you feel is best'. So that's very important for any fast bowler, specially when you making your debut," Mayank told BCCI.TV.
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