LSG urged NCA to rule out Mayank Yadav for IPL 2025: Reports

Mayank, who was retained by LSG for a hefty Rs 11 crore, is already ruled out of the first half of the tournament due to a back injury

In a surprising turn of events, a media report on Saturday claimed that IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have approached the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to officially declare their star pacer, Mayank Yadav, unfit for the entirety of the upcoming season. This alleged move comes amid growing concerns over LSG’s depleted seam bowling attack, with multiple fast bowlers struggling with injuries.

Mayank, who was retained by LSG for a hefty Rs 11 crore, is already ruled out of the first half of the tournament due to a back injury. However, the franchise’s alleged request to have him completely ruled out of the season has raised eyebrows within the cricketing fraternity.

A BCCI official, quoted by MyKhel, described the request as unprecedented, saying, "This is the first time that an IPL team is demanding such a weird request. Even the NCA guys are in a state of shock after hearing the request."

Adding to LSG’s troubles, key pacers Mohsin Khan and Avesh Khan are also undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA and remain doubtful for the team’s opening fixture against Delhi Capitals on March 24. If all three seamers, Mayank, Mohsin, and Avesh, fail to recover in time, LSG will be left with Akash Deep as their only recognised fast bowler, leaving their pace attack severely weakened.

It must be noted that, under current IPL regulations, franchises are not permitted to name a replacement for an injured player unless the player is officially ruled out of the tournament. With Mayank expected to miss a significant portion of the season, LSG may have allegedly approached the NCA in an attempt to secure a full-season ruling, which would allow them to bring in a replacement.

Despite these claims, the LSG management has strongly denied the reports, refuting suggestions that they pressured the NCA for such a ruling.

If LSG's reported request is indeed true, it highlights the franchise’s desperation to reinforce their squad amid a potential pace bowling crisis. However, if rejected, they may have to wait indefinitely for Mayank’s fitness updates while navigating the early stages of the tournament with a limited seam-bowling arsenal.

As the countdown to IPL 2025 continues, all eyes will be on the NCA’s assessment of Mayank’s condition and whether LSG can manage their squad effectively despite their injury setbacks.

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