‘Mental strength makes a great difference’: Mayank Yadav reflects on comeback after 21 months | Cricket News

India fast bowler Mayank Yadav said improving mentally and understanding his body better during rehabilitation helped him make a successful comeback after a 21-month injury layoff.Back in Indian colors after almost two years, Mayank returned figures of 2/18 in four overs as India restricted Zimbabwe to 125/7 in the T20I opener of the three-match series at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday.The pacer, who underwent surgery for a stress fracture in his back in Christchurch, New Zealand, in July 2025, made an immediate impact by dismissing Brian Bennett on the very first ball of the innings. Bowling regularly above 140 kmph, he picked up seam movement and bounce to trouble the Zimbabwean batters throughout his spell.“It’s always a great feeling when you come back and play for your country and especially bowl like this, this kind of spell. It’s an amazing feeling, and I don’t think I can describe it well with my words.“Obviously it’s there because I’m coming after two years and there’s always pressure when you come to play for your country. So, I’m a bit nervous. But my mindset and my plan is very simple to apply my strength and keep bowling,” said Mayank during a mid-innings interview with broadcasters.He added that the early wicket helped him settle quickly.“Definitely after the first ball wicket I calmed down a lot. I gained confidence. I played after a while, but still I can carry with the skills that I have, that the strength that I have; it helps me a lot on these types of wickets, especially.”Reflecting on his recovery, Mayank said the biggest change came mentally rather than physically.“There are many things: physical training, mental. When you are injured and, at that stage, mental strength makes a big difference for any player.“So, I think more than physically, for me, mentally I got much better, and I know my body a lot after the surgery and after the rehab. So, it makes a huge difference for me,” he concluded.India completed a comfortable seven-wicket win, thanks largely to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s explosive half-century. The teenager raced to fifty in just 18 balls, his first big innings in international cricket, scoring 50 off 19 deliveries with four fours and four sixes.After Mayank and the bowlers restricted Zimbabwe to 125/7, India chased down the target in 13.2 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.