WI vs IND: Mukesh Kumar is a great success story for our domestic cricket, says Dinesh Karthik

By India Today Sports Desk: India wicket-keeping batter Dinesh Karthik has said that pacer Mukesh Kumar making his Test debut is a great success story for India’s domestic cricket. India is currently facing the West Indies in the second Test of their two-match series at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain.

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Speaking to Cricbuzz, Karthik said you could see how much domestic cricket has helped Mukesh while bowling against the West Indies on his Test debut. Mukesh picked the wicket of Kirk McKenzie to claim his first scalp in international cricket.

“You ask anybody in the domestic circuit, they will tell you Mukesh Kumar is born for Test cricket. Bowling those long overs, he is somebody if there is a little bit in the wicket, you can ask anybody who has played domestic cricket, he is a handful to deal with. On this pitch, even though there was not much, you could see how domestic cricket has helped him,” said Karthik.

He went on to say that Mukesh’s debut marks a great success story of India’s domestic cricket.
“Mukesh Kumar, what a lovely story. Coming from a very humble background, a great success story for our domestic cricket. What was really impressive is they had bowling selections where anybody could come and bowl. He had come along with a lot of others but didn’t get his turn to bowl,” Karthik added.

Mukesh’s first Test wicket came in the form of fellow debutant McKenzie, who scored 32 runs before being dismissed. Although India’s experienced spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, shouldered most of the bowling responsibility on the rain-affected day, Mukesh showcased his potential through 14 overs, proving that he has a promising future in red-ball cricket.

West Indies ended Day 3 at 229 for 5, trailing India by 209 runs at Queen’s Park Oval in Port o Spain.