Atul Wassan critiqued India’s tendency to become overexcited with young pacers like Mayank Yadav, drawing parallels with Varun Aaron’s experience.
The former Indian fast bowler, Atul Wassan, criticized the tendency of Indian cricket enthusiasts to rush young pacers into international events prematurely, citing their eagerness to witness rapid bowling despite potential risks to the players’ physical readiness.
Meanwhile, Mayank Yadav, a promising talent from the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2024, garnered attention for his exceptional speed, clocking deliveries over 150 kph and claiming two Player of the Match awards in his initial matches. However, his impressive start was marred by an injury sustained during his third game, with MRI scans revealing minor abdominal swelling. Consequently, Lucknow’s head coach, Justin Langer, hinted at Mayank’s probable absence from the next two matches.
Following his impressive debut in the IPL, there’s clamor among some fans for Mayank Yadav’s inclusion in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad. However, Wassan cautioned against rushing young pacers into major tournaments prematurely. In a televised interview with ‘Indian Sports Fans’ founder Sunil Yash Kalra, he emphasized the importance of physical readiness for fast bowlers, urging a balanced approach.
“It is the problem with the Indian mindset, whenever a young speedster comes into the picture, they get overexcited and want him to play the events like the World Cup or similar kinds of big events. They become judges just based on two matches. Your height, weight and size play a crucial role as a pacer, you need some hard bones to survive as an out-and-out pacer,” Wassan said.
The former pacer also highlighted the cautionary tale of former Indian speedster Varun Aaron, whose promising career was derailed by injuries despite his exceptional pace. Wassan then drew parallels with the legendary Kapil Dev, noting how Dev’s strategic restraint in pushing his pace prevented potential long-term harm.
“I am saying it all because if a guy gets injured, they throw him out. A similar kind of thing happened with Varun Aaron, he got overexcited and it went on to cost him. Kapil Dev could also bowl the out-and-out pace bowling but he knew that these guys would overhype him and would also push him aside after getting injured,” he concluded.
Last Updated on April 12, 2024
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