LSG’s IPL Opener Hit by Freak Injury: Mayank Yadav’s Toe Mishap Dampens Hopes
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Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are set to commence their 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season on Monday, facing off against Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam. However, prior to the match, LSG received disappointing news as fast bowler Mayank Yadav sustained a new injury, hindering his return to the IPL.
The team's pre-season preparations have been significantly affected by injuries to four key Indian fast bowlers: Mayank, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, and Akash Deep. Notably, Mohsin was ruled out for the season on Sunday, prompting LSG to sign all-rounder Shardul Thakur as his replacement.
Mayank has faced ongoing injury issues since he made a remarkable impact in the previous IPL season, where he consistently reached speeds of 150kph and earned the Player of the Match award in his first two outings. While recovering from a back injury at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, there were indications last week that he might return to the league in early April. However, LSG head coach Justin Langer informed reporters on Sunday that Mayank has suffered another injury setback, and he is now expected to be available only in the tournament's final week.
What about Avesh and Akash?
Regarding Avesh and Akash, Langer expressed optimism about their swift recovery from their respective injuries—Avesh with a knee issue and Akash with a back problem.
"Unfortunately, Mohsin has sustained a minor calf injury during his rehabilitation. Given that we already had four players sidelined, we had to make the difficult decision regarding Mohsin. We believe Avesh Khan will clear his fitness test tomorrow morning at the NCA, so if all goes well, he should return sooner rather than later. Akash Deep is progressing well, currently bowling at about 90%. I understand he has completed his yo-yo test, so he is meeting all the necessary benchmarks."
LSG will begin their season on Monday under the leadership of new captain Rishabh Pant, who was acquired for a record INR 27 crore during last year's mega auction. He will be competing against his former team, Delhi Capitals, in the opening match.
"Mayank, who everyone was very excited about last year, he was going quite well (coming back from a back injury), and he kicked his toe on the bed," Langer said. "He got an infection in his toe. It's put his rehab back about a week or two weeks. But he's up and running. We regularly see videos of him bowling. I saw a video of his yesterday. So, hopefully, by the back end of the tournament, Mayank will be up and ready to go for us."
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