Abhinav Mukund Credits MSK Prasad For India Call-Up
Feb 1, 2017 at 9:56 AM
Back in the Indian team after five-and-a-half years, Abhinav Mukund has credited MSK Prasad for boosting his confidence after the chief selector let him know he was on selectors’ radar.
The Tamil Nadu opener has played five Tests for India so far but all of his appearances for the national team came way back in 2011. After being picked in the squad for the West Indies tour, he scored a fifty in the series and was picked for the England tour. He started his England series with a promising knock of 49 but scores of 12,0 and 3 saw him getting omitted from the team and he never got a call again from the national selectors.
With Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay doing well at the top order, the chances of making it to the Indian team looked bleak for the Tamil Nadu opener. The meteoric rise of another opener KL Rahul made the matters worse for him. However, the failure of the openers on the last few months have opened the doors for Mukund who has been recalled for the one-off Test against Bangladesh, beginning February 9.
“MSK had a conversation with me during the Ranji Trophy. He told me that I was on their radar. That is about as much as any selector will tell you. I will have to give credit to him because I don’t think any national selector has spoken to me before. This selection committee has actually told me that they are keeping a close watch on my performances. I have been working hard and continuing to do the best I can,” the southpaw said while speaking to Cricbuzz.
Speaking on the prospect of opening the innings with his Tamil Nadu teammate Murali Vijay, Mukund said:
“It’s always good to open with Vijay. He has a calm head on his shoulders and we usually manage to do well when batting together.”
A consistent performer in the domestic arena, the 27-year old scored 849 runs in 10 outings in the Ranji Trophy, including four centuries and three half-centuries. He is currently playing for Tamil Nadu in the South Zone T20 league and will lead India A in a two-day practice game against Mushfiqur Rahim’s men, beginning February 5.
When asked whether it would be tough for him to switch formats, he said:
“That’s what is demanded from professional cricketers nowadays. There are no excuses for not being prepared.”