New Delhi, June 2 (IANS) Injured tearaway fast-bowler Mayank Yadav is now headed the Jasprit Bumrah way in terms of solving his long-standing back issue. Sources aware of the development have told IANS that Yadav is likely to head to New Zealand to undergo surgery for his troublesome back.

It is learned that Dr. Rowan Schouten, a renowned orthopaedic spine surgeon based in Christchurch, New Zealand, is likely to operate on Mayank. Schouten had previously operated on Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna in 2023, as well as on Australian pacers Jason Behrendorff and James Pattinson.

Last year, Schouten, along with surgeon Grahame Inglis, had operated on Australia all-rounder Cameron Green, after he suffered a stress fracture in the lower back.

“Yes, it’s confirmed that to solve Mayank Yadav’s recurring back issue, he will now go the Jasprit Bumrah way – of undergoing the same surgical route. Whatever process Bumrah went through at that time, during and after surgery there, the same will be done for Mayank now,” sources told IANS.

“By the looks of it, this is fair enough because it’s good for the kid, as it will vastly improve his longevity as a fast bowler. Mayank has been spoken to about this as well and will depart for New Zealand in a few days. After undergoing surgery there, he is expected to be there for either 22 or 25 days to ascertain the rehab and recovery route.”

“With the surgery to be done by the same doctor, who operated on Bumrah and was also consulted when he had to recover from the back injury suffered in the Sydney Test, it is widely believed amongst all important stakeholders in India that Mayank will not get repeatedly injured or face any more back-related issues in the foreseeable future,” sources said.

After making his India debut in the three T20Is against Bangladesh in October 2024, following an injury layoff cutting short his IPL season, Mayank was ruled out of the 2024/25 domestic season due to a stress issue in his back. His return to IPL 2025 for the Lucknow Super Giants, who retained him ahead of last year’s auction, was further set back due to an infection in his toe after kicking his bed.

After joining the LSG camp on April 16, Mayank finally played just two matches in IPL 2025 against Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), where his pace was in just 130s, as compared to the lofty speeds he clocked last year. Moreover, he resorted to using variations like slower balls and cutters.

Following the tournament’s resumption after a ten-day pause due to cross-border tension between India and Pakistan, Mayank was ruled out of LSG’s campaign due to the back injury resurfacing again, with the franchise roping in New Zealand pacer Will O’Rourke as his replacement.

With Mayank following the path that Bumrah once took to recover from a back injury in the lower spine, one can really hope that the young tearaway pacer will be able to recover well and make a strong return to competitive cricket, including turning out for the Indian team again.

–IANS

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