Mukesh Kumar received a maiden call-up in the Indian squad for ODIs against South Africa
Mukesh Kumar didn’t know about his national selection till he was added to the Indian team’s official WhatsApp group. That is the point at which the penny dropped that he has been chosen for the one-day series against South Africa, beginning October 6 in Lucknow.
Mukesh Kumar didn’t know about his national selection till he was added to the Indian team’s official WhatsApp group. That is the point at which the penny dropped that he has been chosen for the one-day series against South Africa, beginning October 6 in Lucknow.
“I got very emotional. It was all blur. I could only remember my father late Kashi Nath Singh’s face. My father till I played Ranji Trophy for Bengal didn’t think I am good enough to do well professionally. Unko Shaq thaa ki main kaabil hoon bhi ya nahi,”
Mukesh told PTI from Rajkot where he is playing for Rest of India.
He lost his father to a brain stroke and it was before the Ranji finals.
“Today my mom had tears in her eyes. She was so emotional. Everyone at home started crying,”
said the man from Gopalganj district in Bihar, who had appeared for CRPF exams thrice after his graduation as his father wanted him to get a government job.
Well, not CRPF, but Mukesh, being a first-class cricketer is now employed with CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General office).
So will he call it a God’s gift that he can move the ball both ways?
“Aapke haathon ki Kalakari Bhagwan ki den hai, lekin unka diya huwa ashirwad pe mehnat nahi karoge toh kuch nahi hoga. (You can have God’s gift but what you do with that is up to you),”
said the 28-year-old.
“Life is all about learning and it never stops. I endeavor would to ensure that till I play cricket, I should never stop learning.”
His India A coach VVS Laxman, who was also his mentor in Bengal a few seasons back, gave him advice that worked wonders in recent games.
“Laxman sir told me that Mukesh whatever lengths you bowl for Bengal and how you set up batters, just replicate that consistently. I just followed his instruction,”
he added.
From Red SG Test to white kookaburra, don’t you think you would need to adjust?
“Basics remain the same. Even with the white kookaburra, you need to pitch it up to top order and with an old ball hit hard lengths and bowl cutters.”
So will mom come to watch you if you make your debut?
“Mujhe ground se dekhne se zyada meri mummy mujhe Kamyab dekhna Pasand karenge,”
he replied.
