India pacer Mayank Yadav said he felt at ease playing under captain Shreyas Iyer during the opening T20I against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday, July 23. The speedster enjoyed a dream comeback, returning figures of 2/18 in India’s seven-wicket victory to earn the Player of the Match award.
Mayank’s selection in India’s second-string squad for the Zimbabwe tour came as a surprise to many. The 24-year-old had not represented India since the home T20I series against Bangladesh in 2024, with a string of injuries keeping him out of action. He also endured a disappointing IPL 2026 campaign, finishing without a wicket in four appearances.
However, the right-arm quick made an immediate impact in the series opener. Regularly clocking speeds close to 150 kmph, Mayank dismissed Brian Bennett with the very first ball of the match before removing Dion Myers during the powerplay to put Zimbabwe on the back foot.
After being named Player of the Match for his match-winning spell, Mayank Yadav reflected on his experience of playing under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy for the first time.
“I hadn’t spoken to him much before the game. But during the game, he showed a lot of confidence in the bowlers. I felt good that he backed what I wanted to bowl. When he gave me some advice, I felt confident in executing it and felt it was a good option at that time.”
“I felt quite free playing under him. I was playing under his captaincy for the first time. I had only watched him on TV or lead other teams. I felt very good to play under him,” Mayank Yadav said during the post-match presentation (via Cricinfo)
“I Had to Suffer So Much”: Mayank Yadav Reflects on Challenging Comeback
Mayank Yadav spent a long period on the sidelines following his international debut in 2024, with his injury troubles also disrupting his IPL 2025 campaign for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He managed to play just two matches before suffering another injury setback.
The speedster eventually returned to competitive cricket for India A in the warm-up matches ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup against Namibia and the USA. Reflecting on his journey, Mayank spoke about the repeated injuries that limited him to only a few competitive games over the past two years and the long rehabilitation process he had to endure.
“It was very difficult, especially the gap of two years was a challenge because age wasn’t on my side. I was just 22-23 [years old]. I felt that I had to suffer so much at a young age. At the same time, the motivation to play for the country was always there. So I wanted to make a comeback and perform as I did before,” Mayank Yadav said.
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