NEW DELHI: At the toss for Delhi Capitals\u2019 season opener of the 2026 Indian Premier League against the Lucknow Super Giants, plenty of attention was drawn to one name in the starting XI. Mukesh Kumar\u2019s inclusion sparked questions in the stands, with observers wondering why the spotlight wasn\u2019t on Aquib Nabi, the India-bound domestic sensation who DC paid Rs 8.40 crore for and many expected to hand in his debut. Yet the narrative around Mukesh has never been about instant arrivals. He has been embedded in the Capitals\u2019 setup for longer, earning his place through repeat performances since joining the franchise in IPL 2023 for Rs 5.50 crore.<\/p>\n
His body of work has also extended beyond the IPL. Mukesh has been a steady force domestically, which helped him earn a call-up to India. He then featured across all three formats during India\u2019s 2023 tour of the Caribbean. True, the early returns in the current tournament have come from a small sample\u201436 deliveries across two matches\u2014but what stands out is his impact in the power of pressure overs. In six overs so far, he has already produced 20 dot balls. Against Lucknow, he repeatedly pinned Rishabh Pant with probing lengths, finishing with 11 dot balls from his 18 deliveries.<\/p>\n
After Delhi\u2019s six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Mukesh made the point that the season is a marathon, not a moment. \u201cThis isn\u2019t just one or two matches. It\u2019s a 14-match tournament. If the team doesn\u2019t back you, it becomes difficult,\u201d he said to reporters.<\/p>\n
Later, in an afternoon game against Mumbai, Mukesh began by probing with a fuller approach, searching for movement. Ryan Rickelton punished him for a boundary, but Mukesh didn\u2019t drift away from his intent. Two balls afterwards, he again went for the wicket-taking line, only to be struck for another score. The pacer then adjusted\u2014pulling his length back and forcing Rickelton to deal with a steadier, more demanding line. That patience paid off when Rickelton was eventually beaten for his wicket. Mukesh then caught Tilak Varma out with a pace change and wrapped up the contest with a sharp caught-and-bowled. The performance earned praise from Jasprit Bumrah, who, in a light-hearted exchange after the match, joked about him as \u201cMukesh McGrath.\u201d<\/p>\n
The last year has not been gentle on the 32-year-old. He has battled back-to-back injuries, first a hamstring problem and then a calf strain, which ruled him out of a substantial portion of the domestic season. Even so, his belief in his craft remained intact. \u201cHe always talks about my skills. He keeps telling me that tere haath mey jo kala hai wo kisi aur ke pass nahi hai\u201d \u2014those words, delivered in Hindi during a pre-season moment, captured the message from those around him. The guidance came from DC bowling coach Munaf Patel, who held a long discussion with Mukesh before the campaign started. \u201cHe always talks about my skills. He keeps telling me that tere haath mey jo kala hai wo kisi aur ke pass nahi hai (The art you have is very unique). He keeps saying that I am the best bowler,\u201d Mukesh explained during that pre-season interaction.<\/p>\n
There is a rooted understanding of the grind behind Mukesh\u2019s temperament. Hailing from Gopalganj in Bihar, he learned early that hard work doesn\u2019t wait for permission. He began playing cricket in Bihar despite his father\u2019s late opposition, with Kashinath Singh pushing back on his sporting ambitions. The move to Kolkata followed in 2012, partly as a support system for his father\u2019s struggling taxi business. But the daily grind of transport work left him restless, and he started turning up for second-division matches in the maidans, earning between Rs 400 and Rs 500 per outing as he chased improvement.<\/p>\n
Mukesh\u2019s development caught the eye of former Bengal head coach Arun Lal. Lal valued his capacity to bowl extended spells, calling him both \u201ca captain\u2019s dream\u201d and \u201ca nightmare for batters\u201d because he rarely offered an easy ball. The underlying driver for those long spells has been a hunger to keep learning. That appetite drew attention from VVS Laxman, Waqar Younis, and Muttiah Muralitharan during the Vision 2020 programme organised by the Cricket Association of Bengal in 2014.<\/p>\n
Last year, that focus on technique and length became even clearer. Mukesh described how he studied Josh Hazlewood\u2019s approach and refined his own plan around it. \u201cLast year, I observed how Hazlewood bowled. He consistently hit Test-match lengths. Our coach advised me to focus on my strengths and target that area. It\u2019s a difficult length to score off, especially if the ball is moving. If someone hits you on a good day, that\u2019s fine, but generally it\u2019s a safe and effective option,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
After the Mumbai match, Mukesh again reiterated how closely he watched Hazlewood, highlighting the Australian\u2019s ability to hit hard lengths without getting spooked by the risk of runs. \u201cLast year, I observed how Hazlewood bowled. He consistently hit Test-match lengths. Our coach advised me to focus on my strengths and target that area. It\u2019s a difficult length to score off, especially if the ball is moving. If someone hits you on a good day, that\u2019s fine, but generally it\u2019s a safe and effective option,\u201d Mukesh added.<\/p>\n
Although Mukesh last played for India in 2024, the right-arm seamer is still working towards a return to international cricket. He spoke about his discussions with selectors following his recent performances for India A. \u201cI spoke to the selectors,\u201d Mukesh said, referring to his run as the leading wicket-taker during India A\u2019s tour of Australia near the end of 2024, just ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Test series. \u201cThe team had already been selected by then, but it was a good thing to be around the group. I spoke to the selectors and they said if I perform in domestic cricket and in the IPL, I will make a comeback.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is an inspirational thread to Mukesh\u2019s journey, one that has even registered with MS Dhoni. The former India captain acknowledged his story when they crossed paths during Mukesh\u2019s first IPL season. Now, with Delhi Capitals looking to gather momentum in the 2026 campaign, Mukesh Kumar is not merely filling an opening-bowling slot. He is shaping spells with quiet control, proving that in a league defined by big hitting and larger-than-life reputations, the ability to command the ball still changes matches. One dot ball at a time, Mukesh is not only rebuilding his own career\u2014he is also reshaping the contests in front of him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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