Indian cricket team’s fast bowler, Mukesh Kumar, expressed his content with his performance in the Cape Town Test match against South Africa. After a significant loss in the first Test in Centurion by an innings and 32 runs, he was included in the team and rose to the challenge.
Senior bowlers, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, were instrumental in India’s impressive seven-wicket victory in the Cape Town Test. Siraj dominated the first innings, claiming 6/15 while South Africa was taken out for 55. In the second innings, Bumrah excelled, picking up 6/61.
Mukesh made a significant addition as well, taking two wickets in each innings. He got rid of Tony de Zorzi and Dean Elgar in the second innings for the Proteas.
The Indian bowler was cited by PTI as reflecting on his performance in the Newlands Test and saying:
“I think I have been able to fulfill the role assigned by the team management. I am satisfied with my bowling and best part is that I have worked hard and tried my best.”
Mukesh Kumar
The 30-year-old also discussed the changes he had to make to his bowling technique while switching from Indian wickets to South African tracks.
“There’s a lot of difference between bowling on these kind of tracks compared to Indian pitches. In India, when you try to bowl fuller length the ball moves in the air, but here, if you try to bowl too full, you get smashed, So we decided that we will bowl between 6 to 8 meter length (back of length). And since there is lot of bounce on offer you can get wickets.”
Mukesh Kumar
Mukesh also played in the T20I and ODI series in the Rainbow Nation prior to the Cape Town Test. In the second Twenty20 International in Gqeberha, he took 2/34 in three overs.
“He always tells us about areas to bowl” – Mukesh Kumar on advice from skipper Rohit Sharma
Mukesh was left out of the Centurion Test because India thought Shardul Thakur had better all-around abilities.
On the other hand, for the crucial Newlands match, the pacer was selected for the playing XI. Mukesh bowled to skipper Rohit Sharma in the nets for about an hour before the game.
When asked if the captain had given him any advise, the pacer replied:
“He always tells us about areas to bowl when we seek feedback in the nets. They would tell us ‘if you pitch the ball in this particular length and channel you can trouble us’.”
Mukesh Kumar
It was Mukesh’s second Test match for India in Cape Town. at July 2023, he made his debut at Port of Spain against the West Indies, taking two wickets.
