Mayank Markande’s whirlwind T20 career which made a place for him in the Indian team within 14 months of his Punjab debut sheds light on the pitfalls of the ‘overnight sensation’ tag that the Indian Premier League bestows upon its wonder boys.
He made his debut for Punjab in January 2018 against Jammu & Kashmir in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and by February 2019, Markande was India’s T20I cap number 79, facing Australia in Visakhapatnam. There was a 15-wicket season with Mumbai Indians in between that bridged the two ends of the spectrum.
Markande went wicketless in his four overs and gave away 31 runs. Australia won the match by three wickets. The doors of the Indian dressing room have remained closed on Markande since.
“I think that I was not very mature at that time. It came slightly early. Obviously, I always keep trying my best to find my place in the Indian team again. You have to keep working in domestic cricket. And yes. I think if I keep working hard and get more wickets I will have that chance,” Markande says.
Life changed in a flash in the IPL too. Mumbai Indians traded him for Sherfane Rutherford to Delhi Capitals, which in turn sent the leg-break bowler to Rajasthan Royals. He was signed by Mumbai Indians again for the 2022 season. His stocks that went off the chart in the debut season came crashing down when his wickets dwindled to one, zero and one in 2019, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
His recalibration in domestic cricket with Punjab, which has been close to four years in the making now, is moulding him for the big leagues once again. His selection to the Rest of India side in 2023, which was built on his 22-wicket haul in seven games in the Ranji Trophy, was unfortunately foiled by a finger injury.
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But Markande took plaudits one more time as Punjab clinched its first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, where the leg-break bowler claimed 12 wickets at an economy under eight. Besides Markande, his teammates Abhishek Sharma, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh, and Ramandeep Singh also stated their case for a selection to the Indian team.
“We have been playing together for a long time now. Now, the boys have a bit of experience in the Indian Premier League as well. We have known each other and played together since age group cricket. So, I think that sort of helps in playing as a unit,” Markande said.
“You saw Abhishek Sharma make his debut this year. Obviously, we have been given a platform in Punjab to perform and practice. For the last two years, training under Avishkar Salvi sir has been great. So, it has been a combination of things that has worked for us,” he said.
Markande adds that Yuvraj Singh’s influence on the younger crop in the state has led to a booming pool of talent in the shortest format.
“He has been an inspiring figure. At the start of every season, he comes to watch us practise and his inputs are invaluable. And if we need some help also, he’s always there for us,” he said.
Success with Punjab meant Markande got a second shot at replenishing his worth in the IPL. He was signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for Rs 50 Lakh in the 2023 auction and he repaid the faith by claiming 12 wickets in seven innings at an economy of 7.89.
In 2024, though Markande’s output dropped, his team blazed its way to the final riding on the slam-bang opening partnership between his state-mate Abhishek and Australia international Travis Head.
“Definitely, the leadership changed the whole momentum for us. The coaching part as well. So, Daniel Vettori and Pat Cummins totally turned the scenario for us. You saw the freedom given to Travis Head and Abhishek to attack at the outset. They had sent the message early that you have our backing. Just go and express yourself,” said Markande.
“To be honest, I liked his [Cummins] captaincy a lot. As I said, he backed you till the end. Even if you go for runs, he will back you. All he wanted was wickets, no matter the cost. He never pressured you to concede less runs or bowl a certain way. He told me that you just worry about getting the wickets,” he added.
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In what was its only major flaw through the season, SRH failed to iron out the chinks in its spin department and figure out the ideal combination. Markande too could not live up to the billing as he returned eight wickets in seven games and conceded at more than 11-an-over.
A part of his quandary was the Impact Player rule, the addition of a 12th player that plagued every bowling unit. The rule came under heavy scrutiny for tilting the game in favour of the batters and sending the run rates skyrocketing through the season.
“Impact Player is good for the crowds and the TV audience maybe. You get entertainment. But as a bowler, if you ask me, [it’s not good]. The wickets are so true that there’s no help from them either. Then you hand out an extra batter on top of that. So, there’s practically nothing left for the bowlers. So, I think it should be gone,” Markande says.
But Markande is 33 First-Class games old, has been through the wringer, and cricket for him comes full-circle in the end.
In an ever-evolving game, swaying towards the limited overs by the day, the key for bowlers to hold their own still lies in plying their wares in domestic cricket, especially First-Class cricket. “It builds mental fortitude,” he said.
“Actually, after a point, it’s more about being mentally strong than focusing on the tactics. Tactically, you are used to those kinds of things. But you need to be mentally strong enough to still try and stay ahead of the game and the opponent. That’s going to be more helpful,” he said.
“It becomes important. You learn a lot about yourself and your bowling. The more overs you bowl, the more you’re going to figure out what works for you and what does not,” Markande concluded.
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