“For me, it’s the 2026 World Cup you should be looking at,” says Tom Moody about Mayank Yadav

Mayank Yadav, a young cricket sensation, has been making waves in the cricketing world. His impressive performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, where he consistently breached the 150kph barrier, has led to calls for his inclusion in the Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Tom Moody advises not to rush Mayank Yadav

However, former Australian cricketer Tom Moody has a different perspective. He believes that India should not rush Yadav into the World Cup squad just yet. According to Moody, while Yadav’s early success is extraordinary, it’s important not to have a knee-jerk reaction and pick him for the World Cup when he has only played a few games and got injured.

“I’ve loved what I saw for the first couple of games, it was quite extraordinary to the point you want to see the replays of that game. But you cannot have a knee-jerk reaction and pick him in the World Cup when he has only played two games and got injured,” Moody told ESPNCricinfo.

Moody emphasizes that it’s crucial to understand what Yadav is capable of doing over a long period, under pressure, and in different roles. He suggests that Yadav is an absolute lock for the future and should be groomed for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

“You don’t really know what he’s capable of doing over a long period of time, under pressure and in different roles. Yes, he’s an absolute lock for the future and looks after the asset. For me, it’s the 2026 World Cup you should be looking at (with him),” he added.

Yadav’s early career has indeed been promising. In his IPL debut in 2024 against Punjab Kings, he picked up three wickets while giving away 27 runs. He also bowled the fastest ball in IPL 2024, registering a speed of 155.8 kmph. In his second IPL game against Royal Challengers Bangalore, he took 3/14 and bowled the fastest ball at 156.7 kmph.

Also Read: India aims high as 22 Olympic quotas are up for grabs at the World Race Walking Team Championships