"I feel the Indian team are thinking about taking him for the BGT" - Aakash Chopra lauds Mayank Yadav's performances in IND vs BAN 2024 T20I series
Aakash Chopra has picked Mayank Yadav as one of India's positives from the recently concluded T20I series against Bangladesh. He reckons the speedster might be in the Indian team management's thoughts for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting next month.
India set Bangladesh a mammoth 298-run target in the third T20I in Hyderabad on Saturday, October 12. Mayank then registered figures of 2/32 in four overs as the Men in Blue restricted the Bangla Tigers to 164/7 to complete a 3-0 series sweep with a resounding 133-run win.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the cricketer-turned-commentator named Mayank as one of the finds of the series and opined that he might be in contention to be picked for the Test series against Australia.
"When we are talking about finds, Mayank Yadav needs to be spoken about. He has been fast-tracked. He has hardly played any first-class matches and he straightaway came into the Indian team. He had just returned from injury, hadn't played any competitive cricket, and was suddenly playing for India," he said (6:30).
"He is definitely one of the big positives because he is a part of the traveling reserves as well. I feel the Indian team are thinking about taking him for the BGT, to at least keep him with the team. However, I do feel it might be a little early because the repertoire of first-class cricket is not yet ready. Sometimes you go with a gut and say let's try as he can make a difference," Chopra added.
Mayank Yadav has picked up two wickets at an average of 23.00 in his solitary first-class game. He has been picked among the four traveling reserves for the upcoming three-match Test series against New Zealand, with Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Prasidh Krishna being the others.
"He has got the pace" - Aakash Chopra on Mayank Yadav
![Mayank Yadav picked up a wicket with his first ball in the final T20I against Bangladesh. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/10/041f5-17288023923027-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra acknowledged that Mayank Yadav is pacy and opined that Suryakumar Yadav might have taken the right decision in not giving him the new ball on his debut.
"He has got the pace, there is no doubt about that. He played all three matches, bowled his entire quota in all three games, and picked up wickets as well. He was even given the new ball in the last match. It was good because you give the new ball at the start at times, 25 runs are scored in the first over, and you say 'Oh God'," he reasoned.
The former India opener added that the Delhi speedster was slightly tentative on his debut and seemed to be regaining his rhythm in the final T20I.
"You feel deflated but that was not the case. His first over was a maiden. He bowled a bouncer on the first ball of the first over in the last match and dismissed the batter. He was slightly ginger at the start. He even said that he was holding himself back a little because he had come back from injury. I felt he was getting his rhythm in the last match," Chopra observed.
Mayank had Parvez Hossain Emon caught by Riyan Parag at slip off a bouncer with his first delivery. He later had Mahmudullah, playing his final T20I, caught by the same fielder at long-on for his fourth wicket of the series.