Mukesh Kumar rebuilds India comeback bid with a red-ball revival

‘Bas lage rhna hai’: Mukesh Kumar keeps pushing for an India return

Mukesh Kumar is back in the selectors’ frame after a busy red-ball run earned the Bengal fast bowler a place in India A’s squad for the New Zealand tour. More than two years have passed since his last India appearance, when he claimed four wickets against Zimbabwe in Harare.

The 32-year-old is preparing for Bengal’s Ranji Trophy opener against Delhi before travelling to New Zealand. In the recent Duleep Trophy, he took 12 wickets as East Zone won the title, then claimed eight wickets in the Irani Cup as Rest of India lifted the trophy. Between those tournaments, he played a county match for Nottinghamshire.

Fitness and rhythm back on track

After a calf injury disrupted his previous season, Mukesh says he is feeling fitter and has rediscovered the rhythm he needs as a bowler. “As a rhythm bowler, I need to play regularly to get into my groove, particularly in red-ball cricket,” he told Times of India. “The longer I play through a season, the better my rhythm becomes.”

He said injury had limited him last season to three Ranji Trophy matches, a handful of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy games and five Vijay Hazare Trophy appearances. This season’s run of matches, he added, has helped him enjoy his cricket and feel prepared.

Seam position is his key weapon

Mukesh identifies his upright seam as his main strength, rather than relying heavily on swing. “Whatever the ball is, whether it is an SG, Duke or Kookaburra, I try to land it on the seam,” he said. He described finding his rhythm during the Duleep Trophy final after a difficult start, with the improvement carrying into his second-innings bowling.

His season tally stands at 22 wickets, according to the interview: 21 taken in India with the SG ball and one during his county appearance for Nottinghamshire. Before the New Zealand assignment, he has also sought advice from experienced figures about conditions there. He said Mohammed Shami shared his experience of bowling in New Zealand, while Sourav Ganguly also offered insights.

Three priorities and a lesson in workload

Mukesh said his off-season work focused on fitness, line and length, and adding pace. He also spoke candidly about the mental strain of rehabilitation, saying it can be difficult to watch cricket while injured and wonder when a return will come. Support from his family, including his mother and wife, helped him through that period.

He stressed that fast bowlers need to recognise warning signs and communicate with team management before a niggle becomes a serious injury. “If you understand your body and recognise those warning signs, you can ease off and ask for rest when necessary,” he said. His approach to the comeback is summed up in the phrase he offered at the start of the interview: “Bas lage rhna hai” — keep pushing.