New Delhi: The BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (previously the National Cricket Academy) has come under intense scrutiny after the recurrence of a back injury forced Mayank Yadav—one of India’s most promising fast bowlers—to withdraw from the remainder of the 2025 IPL season. The IPL issued a statement confirming his exclusion and noted that New Zealand pacer William O’Rourke would replace him in the Lucknow Super Giants squad.
Mayank had recently returned to competitive cricket following a six-month rehabilitation program at the COE. However, his comeback performance was underwhelming, conceding 100 runs in just eight overs across two games and managing to take only two wickets. Notably, there was a noticeable drop in his pace—down by nearly 15 kmph—and a significant shift in his bowling action, transitioning from side-on to chest-on.
The larger concern revolves around the handling of his rehabilitation. Experts have raised serious doubts about whether Mayank was medically cleared prematurely, without fully addressing the risk of recurrence. His case is further compounded by a similar trajectory seen in the injury management of another Indian pacer, Umran Malik, raising systemic concerns about the COE’s approach to rehab.
With Mayank only 22 years old, repeated injuries at this stage of his career could severely hinder his future prospects. The BCCI’s pace program, once seen as a beacon of development, now faces criticism and calls for outside consultation to improve injury prevention and recovery strategies.
