All You Need To Know About Mukesh Kumar, India's Latest Recruit For WI Tour
Mukesh Kumar was picked up by the Delhi Capitals team this IPL season. (Twitter)
Mukesh Kumar, a talented medium pacer from Bengal, has been a consistent performer for his state team and has finally got the much deserved chance to make his debut for the national side in the upcoming India Tour of West Indies.
Despite being called up to the Indian squad for the home ODIs against South Africa in October of the previous year, and the WTC Finals ,Mukesh Kumar found himself on the standby list for the final squad, sharing the space with Suryakumar Yadav and promising youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal, who will also be featuring in Team India's Test squad.
Who is Mukesh Kumar?
Having made his first-class debut in 2015, Mukesh established himself as the leader of Bengal's bowling attack. He has an impressive record in red-ball cricket, having taken 149 wickets at an average of 21.55, including six five-wicket hauls. On his first-class debut, Mukesh showcased his talent by dismissing renowned players like Virender Sehwag and securing a four-wicket haul.
The 2019/20 Ranji Trophy season brought Mukesh into the limelight, as he claimed 32 wickets in 10 matches. His standout performance came in the semi-final against Karnataka, where he took a crucial six-wicket haul, propelling Bengal to the final. In that match, he dismissed prominent Indian players such as KL Rahul, Manish Pandey (in both innings), and Devdutt Padikkal, finishing with eight wickets overall.
Mukesh's consistent performances earned him a call-up to the India A team in September 2022 for the unofficial Tests against New Zealand A. He emerged as the joint-highest wicket-taker in the series, taking nine scalps and registering a five-wicket haul in the first unofficial Test. In December of the same year, he continued to impress by delivering a remarkable six-wicket haul for India A against Bangladesh in Sylhet. His notable performances led to a lucrative INR 5.5 crore deal in the IPL 2023 auctions, with the Delhi Capitals securing his services.
In an interview with the Indian Express, Mukesh Kumar talked about his Team India call-up and how ecstatic he is to be a part of the blues. He said:
“I have reached this level because of my hard work, and I will never compromise with it. The stubbornness, the desire and that fourth stump length is the only thing I have.”
Team India Squad for West Indies Tour
India’s Squad for West Indies Tests
Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini
India’s Squad for West Indies ODIs
Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (VC), Shardul Thakur, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar
It would be exciting to see as Team India takes on West Indies with fresh blood. During a month-long tour commencing on July 12, the team is scheduled to play two Test matches, three One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
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