Mayank Yadav, an Indian speedster, talked candidly about the challenges of his two-year absence from international cricket, acknowledging that the long gap and the strain of time made his return difficult.

In 2024, Yadav made his T20I debut for India at the age of just 22 against Bangladesh. But a series of injuries kept him out of action for a long time, making the early stages of his career difficult for him.

The fast bowler marked his comeback in style, delivering a Player-of-the-Match performance in the first T20I against Zimbabwe on Thursday.

"It was very difficult, especially since the gap of two years was a challenge because age wasn't on my side. I was just 22-23 [years old]. I felt that I had to suffer so much at a young age. At the same time, the motivation to play for the country was always there. So, I wanted to make a comeback and perform as I did before. But at the same time, the motivation to play for the country is every player's childhood dream. That was the motivation for me—to come back for the country and perform," Mayank said at the post-match press conference.

He claimed that the circumstances in Harare were ideal for his bowling style and enabled him to have an immediate impact upon his return.

"I had heard a lot about Zimbabwe, that there is good help for the fast bowlers here. This is my first time playing in Harare, and it felt great. I was getting a lot of help from the wicket, and I think that helped me contribute to the team,” he added.

Mayank also commended captain Shreyas Iyer for actively participating in tactical inputs while allowing his bowlers total freedom.

"I am playing under his captaincy for the first time. During the match, I felt he showed a lot of confidence in the bowlers. Whatever I wanted to bowl, he backed it, and whenever he gave advice, I felt very confident in following it. I felt very free playing under his captaincy,” he said.

Mayank also emphasized the positive communication within India's pace unit, stating that he frequently shared ideas with Prince Yadav and Ashok Sharma, two other fast bowlers, throughout the innings.

"We don't talk much about pace, but we have a very good bond. Whatever help I got in my first over, I shared it with Ashok and Prince—what the better option was and how we could attack. We always have good conversations,” Yadav said.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also received praise from Mayank Yadav after the 15-year-old became the youngest ever to score a fifty in international and T20I cricket.

"His batting is unbelievable. When I bowled to him, he played some shots that you can't expect from such a young player with so little experience. He always gives you a new experience, and it's great to watch him.

I think he can go very far because the talent he has at this age is fabulous. I never imagined a 15-year-old guy would come and smash everyone like that. It's a great feeling to be in his team now because in the IPL, when we were playing against him, he smacked us like anything,” Mayank stated.

"I think it will be a very special moment for him. He didn't have very good matches in the last couple of series, and now he has gotten his first half-century for the country. That's always a very special moment for any player, and especially for a 15-year-old kid. The way he smashed the ball was great,” he signed off.

(PTI inputs)