Mayank Markande has become a household name after his heroics in the IPL 2018. Playing for Mumbai Indians, the 20-year-old leg-spinner ended the season with 15 wickets from 14 games.
Mayank was playing a U-23 game for Punjab on the auction day in January and had no idea that he has been purchased by the Mumbai Indians for the 2018 season of IPL for a price of 20 lakhs. Such was the change in fortune that he had become the hot topic of discussion on his debut match against the Chennai Super Kings.
Markande was the shining star for Mumbai as he scalped 3 for 23 in his 4 overs against CSK in the inaugural IPL 2018 encounter. Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni and Deepak Chahar were his victims. In the next game, he bettered his performance claiming a four-fer against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
In his recent interview with Sportstar, Markande said: “I never thought I would make my IPL debut for Mumbai Indians in the first game. I was informed of my selection a day before. I was nervous. The support staff gave me a lot of encouragement.”
He also revealed that there was a lot of homework involved in dismissing the legendary Dhoni.
“There was a strategy discussed for every player in the team meetings, and I just tried to execute my plans that day. Mahi bhai’s wicket was a big thing for me,” he added.
Most of Markande’s wickets were the result of well-executed googlies and the youngster believes it’s his natural weapon.
“It comes naturally to me. I picked the googly from the wristy back of the hand slower, which I used to bowl as a kid. My coach helped me bring changes in my action,” Mayank remarked.
“I never thought of the Purple Cap in the season. It was the Mumbai Indians cap that mattered most from day one. Purple Cap will come and go, but I wanted to retain the Mumbai cap,” he explained.
Mumbai Indians didn’t perform to their potential as a unit in IPL 2018. The defending champions finished the season at No. 5 with 6 wins from 14 matches.
“It was disappointing for all of us as we had given our 100 per cent. I guess it was not meant to be this season, but MI will never give up. I have learnt that approach from the team. We are a strong team and we will be back,” Mayank Markande concluded.
