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Team India got its 395th debutant in Test cricket when all-rounder Shardul Thakur was ruled out with a groin injury on Day 1 of the second Test at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Bengal and Delhi Capitals pacer Mukesh Kumar on Thursday made the much-awaited international debut after being handed his maiden Test cap by skipper Rohit Sharma.
It has been a long and arduous journey for Mukesh Kumar, who is the son of a taxi driver and was born in Gopalganj, a small town in Bihar. Gopalganj’s biggest claim to fame is that Bollywood and ‘Mirzapur’ star Pankaj Tripathi also hails from the town.
Who is Mukesh Kumar?
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The fast bowler from Bengal spent his entire childhood in Gopalganj, Bihar. By 2012, Mukesh Kumar had completed his B.Com and his father, a taxi driver, called him to Kolkata.
Mukesh initially joined the Kalighat Club, where former India fast bowler Ashok Dinda was a member of a set team. “I was the youngest of six but we had serious financial problems. It was Rano sir who spoke to the then CAB secretary Sourav Ganguly, who arranged for my stay at Eden Gardens and my diet was taken care of,” Mukesh Kumar told PTI after the IPL 2023 auction last year.
“I came playing Buchi Babu and then waited for my turn. The effort will be to continue working hard,” said the 28-year-old.
a day to remember! ,
a moment to cherish #TeamIndiaLatest debutant – Mukesh Kumar _#WIvIND pic.twitter.com/mULZ0Ro3PH– BCCI (@BCCI) 20 July 2023
Mukesh Kumar has taken 149 wickets in 39 matches at a strike rate of 47.70. He has also played 24 List A games taking 26 wickets and 33 T20 games taking 32 wickets.
When Bengal was trying to win the Ranji Trophy title in 2019-20, Mukesh Kumar tragically lost his father due to illness. “When Bengal’s dream season was going on in 2019-20 where we played the final, I was battling with my father’s ill health. I used to train in the morning and take care of him in the hospital in the evening. But he passed away due to brain haemorrhage,” he said.
Mukesh Kumar gets Rs 5.5 crore IPL contract
The fast bowler had sparked a bidding war in the IPL 2023 auction last year and was eventually bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 5.5 crore. Captain Rohit Sharma revealed during the toss that Mukesh Kumar’s Test debut was a reward for his hard work in domestic cricket.
“We were looking to bat first. Looks good and sunny too. It will get slower. Shardul has bought a big trouble. He is not fit. Mukesh Kumar is going to debut. He has worked hard in domestic cricket. Lots of memories, the rivalry between the two teams has always been exciting to watch. It’s always going to be a tough tour, you have to work hard. Even in the last game, we had to work hard, especially the batsmen. Hopefully we get the result we are expecting.” Rohit Sharma said during the toss on Thursday.
