LSG head coach Justin Langer shares major update on Mayank Yadav’s fitness

The head coach of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Justin Langer, has confirmed that their tearaway pacer Mayank Yadav is unlikely to feature in the playing XI against Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – LSG’s next two games.

Mayank was forced to walk out of the field during LSG’s previous game against Gujarat Titans on April 7 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow after bowling just a solitary over.

“He felt a little bit of tightness at the top of his hip leading into the last game, but that was about a one-out-of-ten pain, and we thought that there were clinical signs,” Langer was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo during a press conference on Thursday. “Everything through the doctors and the physios seemed perfectly okay. He bowled that first over (against Gujarat Titans) and started feeling something in his hip.

“But we had an MRI scan, and there is a very, very small swelling in there. So we are very hopeful he’ll start building himself up and be back bowling again soon,” he added.

The LSG team management wants Mayank to be available for “every game if possible” but the right-arm speedster is likely to return to action in the game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at home on April 19.

Lucknow are also sweating over the fitness of their left-arm speedster Mohsin Khan. Mohsin, 25, played the first two games of the season before getting injured.

Langer mentioned that Mohsin has resumed his bowling duties in the nets and his presence will be extremely crucial for the team in the away game against Kolkata.

“He’s out there bowling now. He had a little bit of disc flare-up in his back,” Langer said. “He and Mayank are very important to us. He [Mohsin] has gone through all the treatment – it’s really good to have an excellent medical staff. He’s bowling today in the middle.

“He might be available tomorrow, but more than likely – and hopefully – we’ll be looking at the Kolkata game, where that extra pace will be valuable. But he’s on the right path – fingers crossed.”