IND vs WI: "Mukesh Kumar Is Born For Test Cricket" - Dinesh Karthik Lauds The Pacer For His Impressive Performance
Published - 23 Jul 2023, 05:50 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:15 AM
Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik said that pacer Mukesh Kumar’s domestic performances have helped him bowl well in the ongoing second Test against the West Indies. Dinesh Karthik recalled Mukesh Kumar’s journey from the Bengal team to the Indian national cricket team.
Mukesh Kumar got a chance to make his Test debut in place of Shardul Thakur, who was ruled out of the match due to a niggle. The right-arm pacer picked up the wicket of Kirk McKenzie on Day 3. He impressed with his bowling with both old and new balls at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.
Domestic Cricket Has Helped Him – Dinesh Karthik
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik said that Mukesh Kumar used to bowl long spells in domestic cricket and can be a handful if there is something on the pitch.
“You ask anybody in the domestic circuit, they will tell you Mukesh Kumar is born for Test cricket. Bowling those long overs, he is somebody if there is a little bit in the wicket, you can ask anybody who has played domestic cricket, he is a handful to deal with. On this pitch, even though there was not much, you could see how domestic cricket has helped him,” Karthik told Cricbuzz.
Mukesh played 39 first-class matches before making his debut in red-ball cricket. The 29-year-old picked up 149 wickets with an impressive average of 21.55. He was rewarded with a test cap for his success in first-class competition.
The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that Mukesh Kumar fought hard to get into the Bengal team and grabbed the opportunity to showcase his abilities.
“Mukesh Kumar, what a lovely story. Coming from a very humble background, a great success story for our domestic cricket. What was really impressive is they had bowling selections where anybody could come and bowl. He had come along with a lot of others but didn’t get his turn to bowl,” he added.
“When Joydeep Mukherjee at the end was almost walking back to a car, one young boy went up to him and said, ‘Give me a couple of balls to bowl, I will impress you.’. He made him bowl those two balls, and the rest is history,” he concluded.
Mukesh bowled 14 overs during the rain-affected day and picked up one wicket for 35 runs. The West Indies scored 229 runs for the loss of five wickets at the end of the day’s play. The Windies are still trailing India by 209 runs in a must-win encounter to level the series.
