Mayank’s debut, Varun’s return headline India’s win over Bangladesh

During the IPL earlier this year, a young Indian tearaway made heads turn immediately. Aged 21, Mayank Yadav grabbed three wickets in his first two appearances for Lucknow Super Giants, both times being named Player of the Match, and all the while bowling fast. And when I say fast, I mean really fast …. 156.7 kilometers per hour fast!

That stunning beginning, however, quickly faded away into disappointment and frustration for Mayank, who injured himself and ended up bowling a total of 73 deliveries in the tournament. After a lengthy rehab stint, as soon as he was fit, Mayank was named in India’s squad for these three T20Is against Bangladesh and made his debut in the opening game in Gwalior on Sunday. 

He began with a maiden over, clocking impressive speeds and bouncing the batsmen, and had his first India wicket in his second over when Washington Sundar held onto a catch at deep cover-point when Mahmudullah tried to scythe a six. His third over went for 15 as Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Rishad Hossain used Mayank’s pace to good effect square of and behind the wicket, but he came back well at the death by conceding three runs off the 19th over the innings. 

Looking fit and hitting top speeds, Mayank’s T20I debut comes as good news for Indian cricket. Now if he can just stay fit and last the full season. 

This match was also significant for another bowler. Varun Chakravarthy made his India debut three years ago in 2021 and was discarded after that year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE where he went wicketless in three games. Recalled after playing a leading role in Kolkata Knight Riders’ run to the IPL title in 2024, the mystery spinner made a strong comeback with three wickets. 

Picked ahead of T20I regular Ravi Bishnoi, Varun struck in his second and third overs after being swatted for 15 runs in his first. A calm demeanour has been key to his success in T20 cricket in domestic and franchise cricket, and here too Varun’s unflappability was his forte. Towhid Hridoy was duped into hitting a catch to long-on and then Jaker Ali was bowled when playing down the wrong line. Varun’s final over was the 14th of Bangladesh’s innings, with the score reading 90/6, and he capped a memorable return to India colours by dismissing Rishad to end with 3/31 on the night. 

The bowler who started Bangladesh’s downfall was Arshdeep Singh, who took two in his first spell and a third at the back of the innings to end claim 3/14 from 3.5 overs. Hardik Pandya and Washington Sundar pocketed on each, and the result was that Bangladesh were bowled out for 127. 

The target was a stroll for India, even though the new opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson aborted strong starts. Abhishek, who debuted in Zimbabwe but was not on the trip to Sri Lanka, hit 16 off seven balls. Samson, who in Sri Lanka bagged consecutive ducks, did what he usually does for India in T20Is: make a breezy cameo which ended in a loose shot. Samson, playing his 31st T20I in nine years, made 29 from 19 balls before he picked out the fielder at deep midwicket. 

Suryakumar Yadav wowed the fans in Gwalior with some trademark shots during a frenetic 14-ball 29, before Pandya clubbed 39* off 16 balls to finish the chase inside 12 overs in the presence of another debutant, the allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy who remained unbeaten on 16 from 15 deliveries. 

As in the recent Test series, Bangladesh’s batting could not cope with the range of India’s bowling and their bowlers did not have enough to work with to force a win.