Mayank Yadav walked off after bowling just one over against Gujarat Titans in Lucknow on Sunday. Before he left the field, Mayank's pace was down, and he was hit for three boundaries - in the fourth over of GT's unsuccessful chase of Lucknow Super Giants' 163 for 5.
With the pace frontman off, Krunal Pandya dented Titans' middle order by taking 3 for 11 in his four overs. And he later shrugged off concerns about Mayank, by far the most exciting newcomer in IPL 2024.
"I don't know what is happening but I did have a brief couple of seconds' chat - he seemed okay, which was quite a relief for us," Krunal said on the broadcast.
The relief comes from the fact that Mayank has been LSG's standout fast bowler in the tournament so far - he bowled with extreme pace and had combined returns of 6 for 41 from his two games before this one.
"A bright prospect, I'd been watching him from last two years. He used to bowl gun in the nets," Krunal said. "Last year, unfortunately, missed it [due to injury]. But again, whatever conversation I have had, what I see is that he has a good head on his shoulders as well."
On Sunday night, Krunal derailed the Titans' chase after being brought on in the seventh over. He gave away just two runs in his first over, bowling to B Sai Sudharsan and Kane Williamson, and then picked up two wickets in his next over. He gave away four runs in his next over and finished with the wicket of Darshan Nalkande.
The big wicket was that of Sai Sudharsan, who scored a 23-ball 31. On being asked how he overcame the unfavourable match-up against the left-hand batter, Krunal said, "I like to know the batsman's strengths and weaknesses and bowl according to that. Some days it comes off and some days it doesn't.
"At the end of the day, I back my strength and I had the longer side [of the boundary on the leg side]. So I made sure that if I'm going to get hit, I'll get hit over deep midwicket, not off side."