Abhinav Mukund says he is eager to make a comeback to the Indian team

Mukund hasn’t been given a shot with the national team since 2011

Abhinav Mukund, who has been a stalwart in the Tamil Nadu Ranji team is eager to make a return to the national side. The Tamil Nadu skipper last represented India in a Test in 2011 and following his fine form of three hundreds in six first-class matches this season, he strongly believes he can make a comeback into the national side.

The left-hand batsman has been one of the consistent performers in the domestic circuit for a very long time as he has 8010 first-class runs under his belt at the tender age of 26. Unfortunately, he is one of those Indian cricketers who has failed to make it to the international stage due to a jam-packed national team.

During an exclusive interview with Times of India, Abhinav opened about his performances over the years and his views on making a comeback into the national team. With injuries to some of the key Indian openers, Mukund said that he was hoping for a comeback into the national side ahead of the five-match Test series against England which is scheduled to start next month.

"I have been batting well and have started the season on a high. I'm always looking to make a comeback. It's been five years since I last played for India and I'm hungry to play again," he was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

Abhinav felt that his recent performances in the Ranji matches have earned him the selectors' attention. He said, "I think the national selectors have me on the radar. MSK Prasad, Chairman of the Selection Committee, watched me score a hundred against Uttar Pradesh in Dharamsala. Though I didn't have a chat with him, I suppose he would have taken something out of it."

Abhinav has scored 569 runs in nine innings in the first-class season so far with three tons and two fifties. He felt that it was unfair of people to rate him as a one-dimensional cricketer who has magic touch only in the longer format of the game.

"A lot of people have done that and have ruled me out of T20s as well. I'm not trying to prove anybody wrong. I have been successful in all the formats and have been consistent. If someone is being branded, then you can't help it. But at the end of the day, when you keep scoring runs nobody can stop you. It's important to take things in a positive way and move forward," he said on the matter.

Abhinav also pitched in with his support to the IPL. He said that it was the best platform at present for any first-class cricketer to rub shoulders with international stars. He said, “Yes, it will definitely help a player be in the scheme of things. I miss being part of the IPL. When I was with the IPL teams earlier, I wasn't that good. But I think, I'm a much-improved T20 player now. I did well in the TNPL and I feel, I can play IPL.”

With an average of 50.53 in his List 'A' career combined with a more than handy strike rate of 80.32, it's high time that people look at him more than just as an one-dimensional cricketer.