Mangesh Yadav, a cricket player from Madhya Pradesh who was born in the Jabalpur division’s Pandhurna district, would play for Rajat Patidar‘s Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) winners. Some of the biggest names in cricket, like Phil Salt, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Virat Kohli, will be in the same dressing room as the 23-year-old pacer.
At the IPL 2026 mini-auction, Mangesh Yadav was acquired by RCB for INR 5.20 crore, even though his base price was only INR 30 lakh. His worth increased by about 17.5 times due to fierce bidding, which demonstrated the increasing interest in his skills. Scouts were drawn to him because of his speed, accuracy, and remarkable ability to consistently execute yorkers, especially in the final overs.
Given his modest upbringing, Mangesh Yadav ascent has been truly inspirational.
The family rents a room that costs Rs. 1,200 a month, and his father drives a truck. For his family, his IPL selection has been a significant turning point. Mangesh Yadav, who had a lifelong passion for cricket, made the tough choice to drop out of school after Class 12 in order to devote all of his time to the game.
He relocated to Noida to pursue his cricket career in pursuit of better prospects. His persistence paid off as he became the Madhya Pradesh T20 League’s top wicket-taker, taking 14 for the Gwalior Cheetahs in 21 overs. He was selected for the Madhya Pradesh senior team as a result of these achievements, and he later made his T20 debut in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Mangesh Yadav participated in a few games during the Super League stage of the competition, taking three wickets and hitting a fast 28 off just 12 balls. Known for his modesty, he has frequently donated winnings from regional competitions to ground crew, keeping only the trophies as mementos. In one case, he even gave ground crew members a racing bicycle that he had won at the Chhindwara MP Cup.
After his auction success, festivities erupted in Borgoan, around 35 km from Pandhurna. Mangesh, a middle-overs specialist, is thought to be a bright future player. It will be interesting to watch how the Rajat Patidar-led team makes use of this up-and-coming fast bowler in the forthcoming season, since RCB has also signed players like Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, and Satvik Deswal.
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