Very happy with how Mukesh has progressed: India bowling coach

Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar.
| Photo Credit: K.V.S. Giri

India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey says pacer Mukesh Kumar has shown potential to serve India in all three formats and his workload will be managed accordingly.

The rookier pacer got to make his debut in all three formats on the tour of West Indies.

Speaking ahead of the fourth T20I in Florida, Mhambrey expressed satisfaction with Mukesh’s progress.

“Very happy with the way he has progressed; the thought process, the discussion we had with him and his approach towards the game is fabulous. You need someone like him to come here on a tour and play against tough opponents on a different wicket which is never easy. But the way he has gone about it and the character he has shown (makes us) extremely happy,” Mhambrey said on Friday.

“Going forward, since we know he is capable of playing all three formats, we need to be smart with his workload management. He has played a lot of domestic cricket and got quality skills out there,” he added.

Compared to the slow wickets in the Caribbean, the bowling coach is expecting good batting tracks in mainland United States.

“It is a little bit different with the black soil. The kind of soil we get in north of India. It is going to be a good wicket to bat on. The ball will come on to the bat. That is what we saw in the nets. Looks like it is going to be a high-scoring game,” he reckoned.

India still trail the West Indies 1-2 in the five-match series but Mhambrey remains confident about his team’s chances.

“I’m extremely happy with the way we fought back (in the third T20). In the first two games, I don’t think (we) were too far behind. We had the opportunities but unfortunately, we couldn’t seize them.

“Had we done that, the results would have been different. So, I’m not worried in that way. We were very much on track, just a couple of instances we lost and couldn’t seize (the win).

“But looking at the way we have played that, firstly we know that we have skills to take it forward. With the ability that we have right now in all departments, we tick all the right boxes. So, looking at how we played the last game, it’s only one way forward from here and that is up and forward,” Mhambrey added.