Indian veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Bengal Pacer Mukesh Kumar could be the next Mohammed Shami for India, as he performed exceptionally for the Men in Blue in the given opportunities. The 30-year-old bowled brilliantly against Australia in the 1st T20 of the five-match series.
Mukesh Kumar is known for his ability to bowl long spells and extract movement off the pitch. Over the years, the Bengal pacer has troubled batsmen in domestic cricket with his line and length and trying to replicate the same against quality batters in International cricket.
Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Ravichandran Ashwin expressed that Mukesh Kumar has similar attributes to those of Shami and recalled his impressive performance against West Indies in the two-match test series.
“I initially thought Mohammad Siraj would become the junior Shami, but I now feel it could be Mukesh Kumar. Shami is called ‘Lala’ and as a tribute to the actor Mohanlal who is called Lalettan, I call Shami Lalettan.”
“Mukesh Kumar has a similar build, similar height, outstanding wrist position – he has that great whip of the wrist and terrific back-spin on the ball. He has a very nice straight and nice alignment. He had bowled really well in the series in the West Indies and was outstanding at a practice game in Barbados,” Ravichandran Ashwin said.
Mukesh Kumar has been pounding on the Indian team’s door for quite some time. His strength, on the other hand, is conventional and traditional bowling. In the game against Australia, Mukesh went wicketless but gave only 29 runs in four overs as the Aussies set a massive 209-run target for the Men in Blue in Visakhapatnam.
Waqar Younis Said That This Boy Is Talented And Will Go A Long Way – Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin recalled the early days of Mukesh Kumar and his development as a player in all three formats of the game. The 30-year-old has done exceedingly well to seal his spot in the Indian team.
“Waqar said that this boy is talented and will go a long way. He then went to play for Ranji Trophy where WV Raman was the coach, who further encouraged him,” Ravichandran Ashwin added.
Mukesh Kumar has been one of the top talents in recent years, and his record with the red ball says volumes about his dependability. He already has excellent control over his line and length has gained valuable experience and could be a crucial player for the Men in Blue going forward.
