Mayank Yadav‘s express pace instantly grabbed eyeballs during the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year before an injury cut short the 22-year-old right-arm pacer’s stint with the Lucknow Super Giants. After rehabilitation and endurance training at the National Cricket Academy, the speedster from Delhi is now set to make his India debut.
Mayank has been included in the Indian squad for the three-match T20I series at home against Bangladesh.What his international debut will also mean is that he will no longer remain an uncapped player and can earn more either through retention as a capped player or by fetching a bigger price in the auction later this year.
According to the retention rules announced by the IPL Governing Council, “a franchise can retain a total of six players from their existing squad. This can be either via retention or by using the Right to Match (RTM) option. It is at the discretion of the IPL franchise to choose their combination for retentions and RTMs. The six retentions/RTM’s can have a maximum of five capped players (Indian and overseas) and a maximum of two uncapped players.”
While an uncapped player can be retained for Rs 4 crore, the price slabs for retaining five capped players have been decided as below:
Rs 18 crore – Retention 1
Rs 14 crore – Retention 2
Rs 11 crore – Retention 3
Rs 18 crore – Retention 4
Rs 14 crore – Retention 5
Like Mayank, allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and fast bowler Harshit Rana are also in line to become capped players, which will give them also a chance to become big-earners ahead of the coming IPL season.
Coming back to the opening T20I of the series against Bangladesh in Gwalior on Sunday, the only thing that might keep one or two of the above three names missing out is the combination of bowling attack — three pacers or three spinners — that skipper Suryarkumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir would want to go in with.
While Surya has confirmed that Sanju Samson will open batting with Abhishek Sharma, former India batsman Aakash Chopra felt the eleven selected for the first match might be persisted with for the remaining games as well unless there’s an injury or a setback in results warranting changes.
India have also brought back spinner Varun Chakravarthy after a gap of three years. Chopra believes if someone has been recalled, then the services of that player must be used.
“It’s very simple. If you have brought someone back after three years, then why have you done so? Of course, to play him. So he should be played,” said Chopra, while also saying that Ravi Bishnoi is the first-choice spinner having been in the mix for India in T20Is.
“Ravi is your regular blowler in T20Is…Ravi, Washington (Sundar) and Varun, you can play all three only when you drop one of the fast bowlers. But if you play Mayank, Harshit and Arshdeep (Singh), then you can’t play three spinners. One of the spinners will have to sit out.”
“Coach Gambhir has seen Varun do well from close quarters (as Kolkata Knight Riders’ mentor). So I won’t be surprised if he gets in. But I will play Ravi Bishnoi ahead of him. That’s my personal call,” added Chopra, highlighting the calls the team management needs to take.
Citing the example of fast bowler Umran Malik, who was talked about highly before slipping into oblivion, Chopra hopes that those who have been “fast-tracked” into the Indian team, like Mayank who has played just one first-class match and 14 domestic T20s, should be given a longer run and not just be forgotten after 2-3 bad outings.
“…If you have picked them, then you should play them. It’s as simple as that. So he (Mayank) should make his debut. If he does, then I see three pacers in the eleven, because Mayank is third in the pecking order behind Arshdeep and Harshit,” reckoned the former opener.
“My suggestions would be to put your trust in them for a longer duration. It happend with Umran Malik when he was picked early but then you (selectors) didn’t show much trust in him. Don’t do that,” he concluded.
Ending the video on his YouTube channel, Chopra shared his playing eleven along with the decisions India will have to make.
1. Abhishek Sharma
2. Sanju Samson (wk)
3. Suryakumar Yadav (c)
4. Hardik Pandya
5. Rinku Singh
6. Riyan Parag
7. Shivam Dube / Nitish Kumar Reddy
8. Washington Sundar
9. Harshit Rana
10. Mayank Yadav / Ravi Bishnoi / Varun Chakravarthy
11. Arshdeep Singh
“Do you need three spinners or three pacers and do you want to have someone who can bat at No. 8?” he said about the headache India have.
