New Delhi [India], December 24 : Young left-arm all-rounder Mangesh Yadav said he is still struggling to believe that he will feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season after being picked by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for Rs 5.2 crore, as per ESPNcricinfo.
The 23-year-old revealed that he had hoped for just one bid on auction day but was surprised when four franchises entered a bidding contest before RCB secured him.
Mangesh is known for his ability to bowl at speeds close to 140 kilometres per hour. Early in his career, his strength was deliveries that moved away from right-handed batters. Over time, he developed the ability to bring the ball back in and added effective slower balls to his bowling.
At RCB, he is likely to step in as a replacement for Yash Dayal. Team scouts believe he has the skill to earn a place in the playing eleven straight away.
"I've received more calls than I ever have previously. But these are things I'll have to deal with going forward," Mangesh Yadav said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
The Madhya Pradesh cricketer said he feels thankful for the support and advice he has received from senior players from his state. He added that being financially independent from his father is a major personal milestone and admitted that he is still trying to process the size of the IPL bid.
"I didn't know how all of it feels, but I'm blessed to have a lot of people from my own state, like Rajat [Patidar] bhaiyya, Venky [Iyer] bhaiyya and Anand Rajan [former Madhya Pradesh seamer] sir for guidance. Not having to ask my father for money felt like an achievement. Today, I still don't know how to process the feeling of getting such a massive bid. I want to make my parents feel comfortable. For that, I have to work hard and can't get carried away."
Despite the excitement of his IPL breakthrough, Mangesh said he remains grounded and focused on domestic cricket. He said his immediate priority is to perform for Madhya Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
"I've imagined what it'll be like wearing the RCB jersey and standing on top of my run-up. But I've also imagined picking up wickets and winning games for MP. That is my primary goal," Mangesh said.
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