Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pace sensation Mayank Yadav earned the ‘Rolls Royce’ moniker from his franchise’s former bowling coach Morne Morkel.

Yadav made a name for himself with his sensational pace which touched the top speed of 156.7kph — the fastest delivery recorded in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He scalped seven wickets in his debut season with the best bowling figures of 3/14 at an average of 12.14 and an economy rate of 6.99.

In an interview with the news agency, IANS, LSG fielding coach Jonty Rhodes revealed how his fellow South African compared Yadav to the likes of their bowling great Allan Donald.

“I’m not a bowling coach, but Morne Morkel, during the previous season, when Mayank got injured at the start of the preparation, literally Morne said, ‘Wow, this guy (Mayank Yadav), he’s like the Rolls Royce of bowlers, similar to how we used to call Allan Donald a Rolls Royce. He is LSG’s Rolls Royce.

“He had a whole season with the team and that’s why the owners decided to keep him with the team, he did all his rehab throughout the IPL, and stayed a part of the unit because we really believe that he is a young guy with extreme talent and we saw him in the games that he played and everybody was monitoring him not wrapping him in cotton wool,” Rhodes told IANS.

Yadav, 22, is still to receive a Team India call-up after catching the attention of the selectors for his consistent pace which hit the 150kph mark.

The Delhi native was also the first player in the history of the IPL to receive Man of the Match awards in the first-two matches. However, recurring lower abdominal strain and injuries, has been a major concern for him.