"He didn't expect the ball to skid from that length" - Mukesh Kumar on how he dismissed Bangladesh star Zakir Hasan
Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar was one of the star performers for India A in their recent two-match series against Bangladesh A. The pacer showed his experience with the red ball and proved to be a menace for the opposition batters.
While Mukesh impressed for India A, opener Zakir Hasan was the star for Bangladesh A in the first unofficial Test. His sensational knock of 173 from 402 balls was crucial as the hosts salvaged an unlikely draw. The opener also went on to debut for Bangladesh in the first Test against India and scored a hundred.
However, the southpaw found it tough to tackle Mukesh Kumar as the pacer dismissed him on three out of four occasions in the unofficial Test series.
Speaking in an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, Mukesh recalled his favorite moment from the series, which was was dismissing Zakir Hasan in the second game. He said:
"There is a player named Zakir (Hasan) who scored a century on his Test debut. I had dismissed him in the first innings on the first game and then even in the second game."
The pacer said about the ball that got him Hasan's wicket:
"I hit the hard length and he probably didn't expect the ball to skid from that length. He got beaten for pace and gloves it to the keeper. That really is a memorable wicket for me as he had scored 170-odd by playing about 400 balls. So getting him dismissed was very important for me."
Mukesh Kumar did really well for India A against Bangladesh A, picking up nine wickets in two games. This included a fantastic six-fer in the first innings of the second Test, which laid the platform for his team to romp to a handsome win.
Mukesh opened up on what really helped him get the best out of himself and said:
"I believe the key to any team doing well is a relaxed dressing room. Players like Sarfaraz [Khan], Abhimanyu [Easwaran], Yash Dhull etc. kept the dressing room atmosphere pretty light and that really helped us execute our skills in the ground with more focus and seriousness."
Mukesh Kumar on experience with Cheteshwar Pujara & Umesh Yadav
Veteran Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara and pacer Umesh Yadav were also a part of the India A team. Their immense experience in the biggest of stages helped them offer additional insight to newcomers like Mukesh Kumar.
Mukesh even explained how well the senior players and other teammates encouraged him to fox the opposition batters. He said:
"Pujara Bhaiya and Umesh Bhaiya used to stand on mid-on and mid-off and used to guide me on the line and length I should bowl. Pujara Bhaiya used to tell me what the batter might be thinking and that really helped me.
"I felt good that such a veteran of Indian red-ball cricket spoke to me personally. So these are the things that really memorable for me."
Having done well in domestic cricket for Bengal in the Irani Trophy earlier this year and also for India A, Mukesh Kumar will hope to get his maiden Test cap soon.