I've imagined what it'll be like wearing the RCB jersey – Mangesh Yadav
In the latest iteration of the IPL auction, one of RCB’s significant buys was that of Mangesh Yadav, who has been in fine form in the domestic circuit. Signed at INR 5.2 crore, Mangesh is expected to get himself in the contention to be a part of RCB’s playing XI, considering that left arm angle of his which has already created the ripples for all the right reasons.
Mangesh Yadav is known for that lethal yorker of his. He was the leading wicket taker of the MP T20 League, finishing with 14 scalps from just 21 overs for the Gwalior Cheetahs. Apart from his exploits in the Madhya Pradesh T20 League, he was also instrumental for Madhya Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, racking up three wickets from two games while smashing 28 runs from just 12 balls.
Talking to ESPNCricinfo, Mangesh Yadav opened up on his incredible journey which featured two big names, former UP captain, Tanmay Srivastava and former Indian first-class cricketer, Anand Rajan, who helped the youngster to arrive to the big leagues.
Speaking with a touch of gratitude, Yadav said, “Tanmay bhai gave me spikes, kit, clothing, cricket gear all by himself for years together, until recently. He has been a guiding force. He took special interest in me, spoke a lot to me about developing my skills, working on my game. He would go the extra mile.”
Adding further about Ankur Tyagi, his trainer helped him, Mangesh stated, “My trainer Ankur Tyagi played an equally massive role, helping me understand what recovery is, what strength and conditioning is. He was the one who brought a structure to the way training is done. Before and after every game, he continues to remain my sounding board."
Anand Rajan was also a part of the interview and told ESPNCricinfo how things unfurled for Mangesh Yadav, stating, “Tanmay and I go back a long way. He told me, 'I'm sending this young kid to you. He's very good. Take care of him. See if he can get some opportunities in MP. I got him admitted to the same academy where Venkatesh Iyer plays - MYCC. He was a consistent performer there, but even there, it wasn't easy to get consistent chances.”
Rajan further added, “The idea of asking him to go to Jabalpur was to ensure more game time, since competition for places wasn't as intense. And he immediately made their district team, picking 35-40 wickets in a season.”
Mangesh has been on a path to a meteoric rise, impressing the world with growth strides. Adding further, Yadav stated, “Anand sir taught me how to think like a professional cricketer.”
He concluded by talking about his ultimate dream, stating, “I've imagined what it'll be like wearing the RCB jersey and standing on top of my run-up. But I've also imagined picking up wickets and winning games for MP. That is my primary goal."
