In a major boost for Indian cricket, injury-prone fast bowler Mayank Yadav is on the verge of a full recovery after a lengthy battle with a back injury. The young speedster, who captured the nation's attention with his raw pace, has been sidelined for nearly a year due to a lower back stress fracture.
Mayank Yadav's Road to Recovery
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has provided a positive update on the 23-year-old's rehabilitation program. According to a BCCI official, Mayank is currently undergoing his recovery at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and has made significant strides. The Delhi pacer has successfully bowled at 90 percent intensity and is managing a workload of 18 overs per week.
"Mayank Yadav is progressing well through his rehabilitation and has successfully achieved bowling at 90 per cent intensity," the official confirmed. The young fast bowler has also shown considerable improvement in his physical conditioning, bringing him closer to the peak fitness levels required for fast bowling.
Next Steps for the Pace Sensation
The coming weeks are crucial for Mayank's final push towards match readiness. The official added that the plan is for him to progress to bowling at 100 percent intensity soon. This will be coupled with the introduction of high-intensity fielding drills, provided he continues to remain symptom-free and passes all monitoring checks.
This news will be a relief for his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), who retained him ahead of the recent auction despite his fitness concerns. Mayank played only two games in IPL 2025 before the back injury cut his season short, following a breakout IPL 2024 that earned him a T20I debut for India.
Riyan Parag's Positive Progress
The BCCI official also shared an encouraging update on batter Riyan Parag, who has been out of action due to a right shoulder injury. Parag, who last played a competitive match on December 6, 2025, received an injection for his shoulder on December 16.
"Riyan has shown good progress," the official stated. Parag has regained full range of motion in his shoulder and is currently pain-free. He is actively engaged in a strengthening and conditioning program without any restrictions.
Most importantly, the dynamic batter has resumed batting in the nets this week, facing throw-downs and spin bowling. His batting intensity has been steadily increasing with each session. The next phase of his recovery will see him start a gradual bowling and throwing program next week, alongside his continued batting practice.
These updates signal promising returns for two of Indian cricket's exciting young talents, potentially bolstering their teams' prospects in the upcoming domestic and IPL season.
