The fast-bowling duo haven't featured for LSG in the first three IPL 2025 matches due to injuries.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have started off the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on a tough note. Just before the start of the season, they were hit with injuries to all of their top-choice pacers with no equivalent back-ups.
According to a report by Times Of India, pace duo Mayank Yadav and Akash Deep will be available for selection after April 10. On Thursday, another Times of India report said that Akash Deep has joined the Lucknow Super Giants camp on Wednesday night. Akash has not played competitive cricket since featuring for India in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in Melbourne last year.
The 28-year-old pacer had been undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. He had started bowling two days before the IPL got underway in March. He had been scheduled to join Lucknow Super Giants at the end of March.
They saw Mohsin Khan ruled out of the entire season due to an anterior cruciate ligament tear and was replaced by all-rounder Shardul Thakur. Then they had to deal with the absence of three more fast bowlers – Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav and Akash Deep, who were not available for the first match of the season against Delhi Capitals.
Despite these drawbacks and the new captain Rishabh Pant being dismissed for a duck on his team debut, they managed to put on a total of 209/8 in 20 overs. They even managed to get things right with the ball by reducing DC to 65/5. But somehow, LSG let them recover and win the match by a single wicket.
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There was one bright day after the opening day as they beat a rampaging Sunrisers Hyderabad by five wickets in the second match, thanks to the brilliance of newcomer Prince Yadav and Thakur, who claimed 4-21.
In the third game against Punjab Kings, the return of Avesh Khan didn’t give hope. He had conceded 45 from his four overs against SRH. Pant faltered again with a score of two runs. Nicholas Pooran (44 off 30 balls), Ayush Badoni (41 off 33 balls), and Abdul Samad (27 off 12 balls) got LSG to a par score of 171/7.
Yet again, their bowling didn’t look strong enough to defend the total. Punjab strolled past the total within 16.2 overs and eight wickets in hand.
To compound these pains, there is more bad news for LSG. They have to wait till the second week of April for the return of speedster Mayank Yadav, who suffered a toe injury.
The 22-year-old’s absence will be a huge blow for LSG. They had shelled out INR 11 crore to retain the speedster ahead of the auction.
Akash Deep had recently made his India debut against England in December. He had suffered a back injury during the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. The Bengal pacer is also likely to return around April 10.
Currently, Mayank and Deep are both undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
LSG will next face Mumbai Indians on Friday at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
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