'Bas lage rhna hai': Back in rhythm, Mukesh Kumar aims for India's comeback

Mukesh Kumar celebrates a wicket during the Duleep Trophy. (PTI) NEW DELHI: The last time Mukesh Kumar played for India, he took four wickets against Zimbabwe in Harare. Since then he has been out of national settings. More than two years later, the Bengal pacer is back on the selectors’ radar after being picked in the India A squad for the tour of New Zealand.What can a cricketer do when they have played all three formats for India and then suddenly they are out in the cold? “Bas lage rhna hai (All we can do is keep pushing),” Mukesh told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.Mukesh, who will turn 33 in three days, is gearing up for his sixth first-class match in less than two months. He took 12 wickets in East Zone’s title triumph in the Duleep Trophy, then played a county match for Nottinghamshire before returning to take eight wickets in the Irani Cup, helping Rest of India lift the trophy. He will now play for Bengal against Delhi in the Ranji Trophy opener from Sunday before flying to New Zealand.The Mariner, who struggled with a calf injury last season, admits he is at his best and says he has found his rhythm.

The longer I play in the season, the better my rhythm is. That didn’t happen last year due to injury.

Mukesh Kumar

“As a rhythm bowler, I need to play regularly to get up to speed, especially in red-ball cricket. The longer I play the season, the better my rhythm gets. That didn’t happen last year because of injuries,” he said.“Last year I was injured and didn’t play much. I only played three Ranji Trophy matches, two or three Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches and five Vijay Hazare Trophy matches. But this year I have already been part of the teams that won the Duleep Trophy and the Irani Cup. I am enjoying cricket, my body is getting into a rhythm. I have delivered well and I am in a good mood,” he added.One thing Mukesh enjoys most about this season is the way the ball leaves his hand. What has worked for him is his upright seam. He feels that his wrist is tight at the point of birth, and his slightly frayed fingers are pulled down so straight that the seam always comes out like a screw.

Chennai: East Zone’s Mukesh Kumar in action on Day 4 of the Duleep Trophy 2026-27 final cricket match between South Zone and East Zone in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. (PTI Photo/R Senthilkumar) (PTI09_09_2026_000087A)

“My strength is my seam position. I’m not someone who relies a lot on swing. Whatever ball it is, whether it’s SG, Duke or Kookaburra, I try to land it on the seam,” he said.“My rhythm was a bit off in the first innings (of the Duleep Trophy). I couldn’t quite understand what was going on, even though the pitch offered a lot of assists on the first day. Even though my rhythm wasn’t the best, I managed to disrupt the batsmen. Towards the end of the first innings, I started to find my rhythm and it carried over into the second innings. Once that happened, you could see the difference.”Mukesh also candidly admits that most of his wickets this season have come with the SG ball. Of the 22 wickets he has taken this season, 21 have come in India with the SG ball. In the one county match he played for Nottinghamshire, he picked up a solitary wicket. Mukesh has experience of bowling in different conditions but this time he is doing his homework before landing in New Zealand.

I also had a long chat with Mohammed Shami recently. He shared his experience of bowling in New Zealand and advised me on what I could do differently.

Mukesh Kumar

In the Bengal team, he shares the dressing room with Mohammed Shami and Akash Deep, but he also reached out to Sourav Ganguly.“I have played in Australia, Bangladesh and South Africa so I have experience of bowling in other conditions,” he said.“I talk to Ranadeb Bose most often. I also talk to Laxmi Ratan Shukla. I also had a long chat with Mohammed Shami recently. He shared his experience of bowling in New Zealand and gave me advice on what I can do differently.”“I also met Sourav. He was one of the best Indian captains. He shared details about the conditions in New Zealand. I enjoyed exchanging ideas with him,” said Mukesh.

Chennai: East Zone’s Mukesh Kumar in action on Day 3 of the 2026-27 Duleep Trophy final cricket match between South Zone and East Zone in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. (PTI Photo/R Senthilkumar) (PTI09_08_2026_000136A)

Mukesh knows he is not getting any younger. He has skill, but it’s not always enough for fast bowlers. The three-point scheme has been drawn for the offseason, and the hard yards are paying off.“The first thing I worked on a lot was my fitness. I also worked a lot on my line and length. I ended up adding a few yards on my pace. Those were the three areas I focused on and the improvement was seen in my bowling during the Duleep Trophy and the Irani Cup,” he said.Mukesh also talks about the uncertainty that creeps into a fast bowler’s mind when he gets injured, as rehabilitation can be a long and frustrating process. It also explains the changes a bowler must make to regain full fitness.

Sometimes the mind can get frustrated when you are injured. Cricket is happening all over the world and you are lying in bed unable to play. You see the other players representing India and wonder when you will be back.

Mukesh Kumar

“A fast bowler needs to be careful about his diet. You need to avoid eating too much fatty and spicy food. Getting enough sleep and maintaining good habits is also key. Peace of mind is another important aspect. If you worry about things all the time, you won’t sleep properly and you may end up staying up all night. You need to eat well, sleep well, maintain good habits and follow the instructions of your rehabilitation and rehab staff.“Sometimes the mind can be frustrated when you get injured. Cricket is happening all over the world and you are in bed and you can’t play. You see the other players representing India and you wonder when you will come back. I am very thankful to God that I have such a supportive family. Whatever happens at home, my family will make sure that it doesn’t affect me. Especially now my mother has to make sure that I don’t worry about anything because I have nothing to worry about.” important,” he said.A packed cricket calendar leaves little breathing space for fast bowlers. The IPL is followed by the state leagues and then a busy domestic season with tournaments like the Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup and Ranji Trophy along with the white-ball competitions. As games get longer and faster, load management becomes essential, especially for bowlers whose bodies endure immense physical strain. Injuries can derail a career, so it’s essential to recognize the warning signs.

Bengaluru: East Zone’s Mukesh Kumar with captain Ishan Kishan on day three of the Duleep Trophy 1 semi-final cricket match between Central Zone and East Zone at the BCCI Center of Excellence (CoE) ground in Bengaluru, Karnataka. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak) (PTI09_01_2026_000192A)

So how does a fast bowler know if he is pushing his body too far?“Body hamesha 80% hi rehta hai, 20% niggle toh rehta hi hai (A fast bowler can never be 100% fit. There will always be some niggle or the other),” he said with a laugh.“Before an injury occurs, the body gives you signals. It’s almost as if God is telling you not to push yourself because something could go wrong. The body works in a similar way. If you push your limits, you can end up injured. If you understand your body and recognize these warning signs, you can calm down and ask for rest when necessary. For example, if you feel tension or stiffness, you should explain to the team that you need to stop the next game, you should you would tell it, Final tell it, tell your management, it also depends on what the management wants and how they assess the situation.“You have to recognize when your workload is becoming excessive. If it’s a close match, you naturally want to give everything you’ve got. You feel like whatever happens after that can be dealt with later. But you can’t approach every match like that. You have to understand when your body needs to rest. If you don’t, you can end up with a heavy price,” he explained further.A workhorse in domestic cricket, Mukesh has earned plaudits for his performances and is now back in contention for a place in the national set-up. A new challenge awaits him in New Zealand and the Bengal pacer knows that every opportunity counts. After more than two years on the sidelines, he is determined to keep pushing and get back into the Indian dressing room.