"Tera naam suna hai domestic mein" - Mukesh Kumar on his first interaction with Shikhar Dhawan
It was a dream come true for Bengal's Mukesh Kumar when he received his maiden Indian team call-up for the ODI series against South Africa earlier this year. Most of the big names had left for the preparatory camp in Australia for the T20 World Cup and India effectively named a second-string side for the series.
The Bengal pacer was selected as part of a pace attack that featured Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, and Mohammed Siraj. Although it surprised him, he was merely rewarded for his hard work in domestic cricket over the past few years.
Speaking in an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, Mukesh Kumar opened up about his maiden India call-up, his interactions with teammates, and much more. Here's what he said about his family's reaction to the news of him receiving a call-up:
"It was like a festival in our house. Everyone was happy and especially my mother, she got very emotional. She has a huge role to play in my success till date. She has supported me a lot and has always prayed to God to help me make my dreams come true."
Shikhar Dhawan was the captain of the Indian team that hosted the Proteas. The veteran opener had previously received plaudits from the cricketing fraternity for the way he handled fringe players and youngsters waiting for an opportunity.
Mukesh Kumar felt a connection while speaking with Dhawan. He revealed that the experienced campaigner was warm and always tried to maintain a positive atmosphere in the dressing room. Mukesh said:
"Shikhar Bhaiya was simply brilliant and was really positive no matter what the situation. Even after the loss in the first game, he motivated us to work on our weaknesses and didn't let any negativity affect the team. I had a chat with him and was inspired by his positivity.
"He told me, 'Tu accha kar raha hai yaar. Tera naam suna hai domestic mein (You are doing really well. I have heard your name make rounds in domestic cricket).'"
Mukesh Kumar on VVS Laxman's advice
Mukesh Kumar also shared a good camaraderie with VVS Laxman, the Indian head coach for the South Africa series. The duo already knew each other as Laxman was previously Bengal's batting coach. This likely made it easier for Mukesh to understand and adapt to the team environment.
The pacer explained the conversation he had with Laxman and how it instilled confidence in him:
"I already shared a great bond with VVS sir since he was Bengal's batting coach a few years ago. He told me to keep working hard and advised me to not get disheartened on not getting an opportunity to play.
"Such words from such a great player and a coach really helped me get positive vibes. I felt more confident in my abilities."
Mukesh Kumar got the golden opportunity to pose with the trophy after India won the series 2-1. It has been a tradition followed by the team over the past few years, with the newest members of the squad getting to lift the trophy in the team photo.
On this, the pacer recalled:
"I was a new face for many players because I had also not played [in the] IPL [Indian Premier League]. So all of them decided that I would hold the trophy in the team photo.
"Even Shikhar paaji said that 'Mukesh will pick up the trophy.' I can't explain in words how good it felt. I felt emotional with all the warmth that I received from my teammates and I will never forget that day."
The experience of sharing a dressing room with such players definitely seems to have made an impact on Mukesh Kumar. He will hope to derive confidence from that experience to keep knocking on the door of the selectors with his performances.