Setback for Mayank Yadav's Test cricket future as Shane Watson fires huge warning

Former Australia all-rounder and 2-time IPL winner with Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, Shane Watson feels that it will be unnecessary to push LSG's breakout IPL 2024 star Mayank Yadav towards playing Test cricket just now. Mayank, 21, has taken the entire cricketing fraternity by storm with his raw pace coupled with lethal lines and lengths. His performance in his first 2 matches against Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru has made him a hot topic and has also put him in contention to represent India in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in June.

Mayank Yadav has been with the Lucknow Super Giants since the 2022 IPL edition when he was bought for his base price. The youngster could not break into the playing XI in the 2022 season which was also LSG's first IPL season along with Gujarat Titans when the teams were increased from 8 to 10. Whereas in the 2023 edition, Mayank was ruled out entirely from the season after picking up a hamstring injury that severed during this time last year.

Back-to-back man-of-the-match performances

But nonetheless, it was worth the wait for Mayank Yadav, who as soon as entering the starting XI, made a direct impact. On his debut against Punjab, the New Delhi-based pacer shocked everyone with his pace but most importantly the lengths and the off and middle stump line he picked. His first wicket of IPL career was England's explosive batter Jonny Bairstow, second was former India opener Shikhar Dhawan and 3rd was Jitesh Sharma, who can possibly be his teammate in the near future.

In his second match against RCB in the bowler's graveyard at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium, Mayank first removed Rajat Patidar, then sent Glenn Maxwell for a duck before cleaning up the stumps against Cameron Green. In both of his first two matches, the 21-year-old was adjudged as man of the match for figures of 3/27 and 3/14.

Shane Watson feels BCCI should wait before handing Test cap to Mayank Yadav

While speaking to Jio Cinema recently, Shane Watson asked the BCCI to wait for a while before calling up Mayank Yadav to play Test cricket. Watson highlighted the amount of pressure that a fast bowler's body goes through in the challenging format that is the red-ball format. Watto further claimed that it would not be "wise at all" to make Mayank play the hardest format of them all.

"Obviously, the talk of the town is Mayank Yadav, to be able to see someone of his world-class speed and then also world-class skill on display... Lucknow Super Giants are unbelievably lucky to be able to have him. To be able to perform on the big stage against the best batters in the world and dominate them and blow them away is something very, very special."

"Of course, in a perfect world, you'd love to see him playing Test cricket, but just knowing how challenging it is on your body as a fast bowler, to be able to get your body accustomed and resilient enough to be able to handle bowling at high speed, 15-20 overs a day in a Test match on a flat wicket, right now, I don't see it necessary to be able to push his body to that limit.

"There's not too many fast bowlers in the world who come through and are able to bowl at the speed and the control that Mayank does have, so they need to harness that young man's incredible talent and skill that he's got. So, by pushing him to play Test cricket right now, I think that's not wise at all."

"I personally think it's a waste of Indian cricket, really trying to push him into four-day cricket and Test cricket, knowing the incredible value that he can provide in T20 and one-day cricket for India. I've seen it in the past, whether it's in India or other parts of the world, when everyone gets very excited about a young speedster that comes in, the thought is always, 'oh, let's push him to play Test cricket because that's the ultimate', and it certainly is, but that does take time", he said.