IND vs SA: My Mom Was In Tears, Had My Dad Been Alive He Would’ve Been The Happiest - Mukesh Kumar On Maiden India Call-up

Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar earned his maiden Indian team call-up for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa as the BCCI announced its squad on Sunday. The three ODI games will take place on October 6, October 9, and October 11.

The venues for the ODIs are Indore, Ranchi, and Delhi. None of the players in India’s T20 World Cup 2022 main squad and Mohammad Shami was considered for this squad as they will fly to Perth in Australia for prepping for the ICC event which begins on October 16 and India will play their first game against Pakistan on October 23 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

The squad will be captained by Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer has been named as the vice-captain of the side. Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson have been named as the keepers for the Indian team. Also included from the Zimbabwe side are Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shardul Thakur, and Kuldeep Yadav.

Meanwhile, Rajat Patidar and Mukesh Kumar were the new faces in the Indian squad for the South Africa ODIs.

I Could Only Remember My Father Late Kashi Nath Singh’s Face: Mukesh Kumar On Getting India Call-Up

The right-arm pacer has been Bengal’s most consistent new ball bowler and the five for in the first Test against New Zealand ‘A’ and a four for on the first day of the Irani Cup really fast-tracked his progress into the Indian team.

Talking about his maiden India call-up, Mukesh said that he wishes his father Kashi Nath Singh was alive to see his success. He lost his father to a brain stroke and it was before the Ranji finals. He would train in the morning and then spend time beside his father’s hospital bed.

“I got very emotional. It was all a 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. Today my mom had tears in her eyes. She was so emotional. Everyone at home started crying,” Mukesh told PTI.

“Life is all about learning and it never stops. My endeavour would be to ensure that till I play cricket, I should never stop learning. 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.

Mukesh has 113 wickets in 31 FC games and has an economy rate of 5.25 in List A where he has 17 scalps from 18 games.

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