Mohammad Kaif tells Mayank Yadav to stick to raw pace
Mohammad Kaif urged Mayank Yadav to rely on raw pace rather than variations, while questioning India's fifth-bowling options in the T20I side.
Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has advised Mayank Yadav to avoid slower deliveries and cutters and rely on his natural pace instead. Kaif said the 150 kmph bowler does not need variations and should hit the deck with the new ball. Mayank crossed 144 kmph with each of his first six deliveries in the fourth T20I before switching to a slower ball that was hit for six.
Kaif also raised concerns about India's lack of a specialist fifth bowler in the current T20I setup. He said the four overs from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Naman Dhir represent a potential weakness that opposition teams could exploit on certain days. Mayank has taken nine wickets in 22 overs across six matches against Zimbabwe and West Indies.
Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun said pace alone will not make Mayank a complete bowler. Arun stressed the importance of direction, execution of plans and adapting to different conditions, particularly ahead of India's T20I series in New Zealand starting on 22 October.
CricHubb Take
Kaif's warning highlights a broader tension in India's pace attack between developing express speed and maintaining control across varying conditions.