IPL Auction 2023: Who is Mukesh Kumar? Delhi Capital's Rs 5.5 crore surprise buy

Pacer Mukesh Kumar was one of the surprise picks at the IPL Auction 2023 when Delhi Capitals splashed Rs 5.5 crore on the 29-year-old bowler in Kochi on Friday.

However, for the keenest of followers of Indian cricket, it was a day of joy as finally, a strong Ranji Trophy performer was finally getting his due after years of toying hard in the domestic circuit. Back in 2020, Mukesh featured in a Ranji Trophy final and was the strike bowler of the Bengal cricket team leading to the final with 32 wickets.

Welcome Mukesh Kumar!

The pacer joins the DC Camp for ₹ 5.5 Cr 💸#YehHaiNayiDilli #TATAIPLAuction #IPL2023Auction #IPL2023

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) December 23, 2022

Who is Mukesh Kumar?

Born in Bihar’s Kakarkund village in Gopalganj district, Kumar found his way to the Bengal cricket team through the trials of the Vision 2020 programme at the Eden Gardens in 2014. The opportunity came up when his father, Kashinath, moved to Kolkata and was driving a taxi for a living. Mukesh, however, didn’t join his father immediately while his father saw a different dream for his son. He wanted Mukesh to join the army and Mukesh made two failed attempts to join the army as well.

IPL 2023 Auction: Players sold/unsold

Kashinath finally brought his son to Kolkata in 2012, hoping to find him a job. Mukesh continued with the ‘Khep khela’ or tennis ball cricket before he joined a second division CAB league club Bani Niketan and learned to play with the red cherry.

Mukesh found his way to the first division and soon came the opportunity of Vision 2020 trials. The trials were held by experienced Bengal pacer Ranadeb Bose under the guidance of VVS Laxman, Waqar Younis, and Muttiah Muralitharan.

Ranadeb was impressed with the youngster and took him under his wing before Mukesh made his domestic debut in Rohtak with an impressive haul of 4/53.

Since then Mukesh became a regular member of the Bengal squad before in 2020 Ranji show convinced the selectors to bring him to India A teams. 2022 turned out to be his year as well as he impressed with a 6/40 spell against Bangladesh, which India won by an innings and 123 runs.

He found a place in the ODI squad against South Africa as well and was in the A tours for New Zealand before Bangladesh

IPL 2023, Complete squads: GT | SRH | RR | MI | PBKS | CSK | RCB | KKR | LSG | DC

“I think he deserves this. He was always a very humble boy, down to earth and so unassuming. He is special,” Arun told Hindustan Times. “He is a special act, a genuine wicket-taker, and can change the game completely. In the red-ball format, I believe he is one of the top three bowlers in the country. He may go for runs but he will get you wickets that others can’t.”

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