"These were the people I was seeing on TV at one time" - Mukesh Kumar on the surreal feeling after being hugged by Rohit and Virat

Team India pacer Mukesh Kumar expressed his delight at the prospect of having made his international debut in the ongoing second Test against the West Indies in Trinidad. He replaced Shardul Thakur in the playing XI and returned figures of 16-6-48-2 in the first innings.

Mukesh was waiting on the sidelines for a considerable while and consistently kept delivering in domestic cricket as well as for India A. He received his maiden red-ball call-up with major pacers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami being rested.

The right-arm pacer claimed his maiden wicket by dismissing fellow debutant Kirk McKenzie in the 52nd over. He spoke about how it felt being hugged by senior players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after getting off the mark in international cricket.

Mukesh Kumar said in an interaction with Mohammed Siraj released by the BCCI:

"When you (Siraj) and Jaydev were bowling with the new ball, I could not wait for my turn. Rohit bhai had told me that this is not a pitch where you will get wickets straight away, so there will be some hard work and patience required."

"When I got my wicket, Rohit and Virat came over and gave me a hug," he continued. "It was a strange feeling in a good way as these were the people I was seeing on TV at one time and I cannot really describe it."

Mukesh Kumar also got the wicket of Alick Althanze in the first innings and has bowled five overs in the second essay, notching four maidens in the process.

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"I went into a whole different zone and I wanted the ball as soon as possible in my hands" - Mukesh Kumar

Mukesh Kumar played his first full Indian Premier League (IPL) season for the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023 before flying with the Men in Blue to the Caribbean Islands. He has also been selected for the upcoming white-ball series against the West Indies, beginning on Thursday, July 27.

He also spoke about how he felt while making his debut for Team India, saying:

"When I got to know that I was playing, I was shocked, I was like what is happening. I went into a whole different zone and I wanted the ball as soon as possible in my hands."

Mukesh continued:

"I am always prepared, even if I am playing or not playing, but I want to attend the meetings and follow the process. I had a gut feeling that I might play. When it is evening here, it is morning over there in India, so after I played, I talked to my mother, and that was a special feeling."

Mukesh Kumar had a phone conversation with his mother as well at the end of the first day's play. Stating that his supporting family is proud and happy about his achievements, he continued:

"She was very happy as well as my entire family. The ones that have been supporting me throughout my career whether it be my relatives or friends, all of them were happy."

Following a belligerent second innings, where Team India scored 181/2 in just 25 overs, West Indies finished at 76/2 at stumps on Day 4. The hosts still need 289 runs for the win while the visitors are eight wickets away from claiming a 2-0 whitewash.