IPL 2025: Did LSG ask NCA to declare Mayank Yadav unfit?

IPL 2025: The battle of words between IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants and National Cricket Academy could land fast bowler Mayank Yadav, who is recuperating from an injury, in a soup.

Due to his lack of 100 per cent fitness and tentative chance of a comeback by the second or third week of April, LSG has demanded Mayank Yadav to be declared unfit for the entire season.

This will allow them to pick some other fast bowler from the pool of unsold players as a replacement. The Lucknow team is desperate because a couple of the other pacers are also struggling with fitness.

Sources said that a top official from LSG called NCA and demanded Mayank Yadav to be declared unfit. However, one of the top LSG officials denied such a move against Mayank. As his team is not showing enough confidence over his fitness, Mayank's chances of playing in IPL 2025 has gone up in smoke.

"This is the first time that an IPL team is demanding such a weird request. Even the NCA guys are in a state of shock after hearing the request," a BCCI source said.

Fast bowler Mayank has been grappling with injuries since November 2024, leading to his absence from competitive cricket. Despite hopes for his return in IPL 2025, his participation remains uncertain. "LSG should have been more alert while picking players at the auction. They should have taken an extra fast bowler," the source added.

Earlier reports suggested that two more of their key pacers -- Mohsin Khan, and Avesh Khan -- await fitness clearance from the National Cricket Academy before their season opener against Delhi Capitals on March 24 in Visakhapatnam.LSG remains hopeful that two of them will return in time.

Mayank Yadav, who was retained by LSG for Rs 11 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, has been recovering from a lumbar stress injury that sidelined him since October 2024 after his T20I debut against Bangladesh.

Currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, he has recently resumed bowling. Mayank's potential absence is a significant blow for LSG, given his sensational debut season. He had made an immediate impact, clocking speeds of 156.7 kmph and securing back-to-back Player of the Match awards in his first two games. His performances not only bolstered LSG's bowling attack but also earned him a call-up to the Indian national team.

LSG's campaign kicks off in less than two weeks, and the availability of their pace trio will be crucial in shaping their season. As Zaheer Khan, LSG's director of cricket, stated, "We are working closely with the NCA on Mayank's recovery roadmap. He is not only important for LSG but also for Indian cricket."

An express bowler from Delhi, Mayank Yadav had played just two List A games when he was picked by Lucknow Super Giants ahead of IPL 2022. He did not play a match in the first season and was ruled out of the next season with a torn hamstring. Once he got fit, he was fast-tracked into the North Zone side for the 50-over Deodhar Trophy, where he knocked out Rahul Tripathi's middle stump with a rapid delivery.

He made his IPL debut in 2024, against Punjab Kings in Lucknow, where he hurried the batters with his pace. He picked up 3 for 27 from his four overs and recorded a top speed of 155.8 kmph.

Mayank went one better in his second IPL game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, cranking up his speed to 156.7 kmph, the fastest ball recorded in IPL 2024. He consistently breached the 150 kmph barrier, finishing with 3 for 14 from his four overs. Mayank is the first player in IPL history to win two Player-of-the-Match awards in his first two matches.