International career
Mukesh Kumar is a fast bowler who plays for the India national cricket team. He also plays for Delhi Capitals in the IPL and Bengal in domestic cricket. Below is a year-by-year breakdown of his international career:
- In September 2022, Mukesh Kumar got his first call-up to the Indian team for the One Day International (ODI) series against South Africa.
- In December 2022, he was included in the squad for the T20 International (T20I) series against Sri Lanka.
- In June 2023, Mukesh was selected for the Indian team for the West Indies tour, where he played across all three formats of the game.
- On July 20, 2023, Mukesh made his Test debut during the second Test against the West Indies at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad. In his debut match, he bowled 18 overs in the first innings, taking 2 wickets for 48 runs, and bowled 5 overs in the second innings without taking any wickets, finishing with figures of 0/5. His first Test wicket was that of Kirk McKenzie.
- On July 27, 2023, he played his first ODI against the West Indies at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados.
- On August 3, 2023, Mukesh made his debut in T20I cricket against the West Indies at Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad.
- On January 3, 2024, Mukesh played his most recent Test match against South Africa.
- His last ODI match was on December 21, 2023, also against South Africa.
- On July 14, 2024, Mukesh played his most recent T20I match against Zimbabwe.
Mukesh was selected for the West Indies tour in June 2023, where he played in all three formats. He made his Test debut at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad, on July 20, 2023. In his first match, he claimed 2 wickets for 48 runs in 18 overs during the first innings and 0/5 in 5 overs in the second. He took his first Test wicket, dismissing Kirk McKenzie.
Leagues Participation
Mukesh Kumar has taken part in several franchise-based leagues. Here's a breakdown of his participation in these leagues:
Indian Premier League
Mukesh Kumar was retained by Delhi Capitals for INR 5.50 crore before the 2024 IPL season. He first joined Delhi Capitals in 2023 and played regularly in his debut season. In his first IPL season, he played against Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, with bowling figures of 2/30 and 2/36. He ended the 2023 IPL season with 7 wickets in 10 matches.
In the IPL 2025 auction, Delhi Capitals used the Right to Match (RTM) card to retain Mukesh for INR 8 crore.
Mukesh has played 20 IPL matches, taking 24 wickets. His bowling average is 28.92, and he gives away 10.44 runs per over. His best IPL performance is 3 wickets for 14 runs.
- Last IPL Match: May 2024, against Lucknow at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. Mukesh bowled 4 overs and took 1 wicket, conceding 33 runs.
- Best IPL Performance: 3 wickets for 14 runs in 2024.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Matches Played
|
Wickets Taken
|
Best Bowling Performance
|
|
2023
|
Delhi Capitals
|
10
|
7
|
2/30 (vs Mumbai Indians)
|
|
2024
|
Delhi Capitals
|
10
|
17
|
3/14 (vs opponent)
|
|
2025
|
Delhi Capitals
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Bengal Pro T20 League
Since 2024, Mukesh Kumar has been part of Sobisco Smashers Malda in the Bengal Pro T20 League. On June 15, 2024, he played an important role in his team's victory over Lux Shyam Kolkata Tigers. Mukesh helped restrict the Tigers to 117/8 in 20 overs after winning the toss and putting the opposition under pressure. The match ended with Sobisco Smashers Malda winning by 7 wickets.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Matches Played
|
Performance
|
|
2024
|
Sobisco Smashers Malda
|
-
|
1 Match, 3 wickets for 30 runs
|
Mukesh’s efforts in these leagues have made him a key player for his teams.
Domestic career
Mukesh Kumar began his domestic career on October 30 with his first-class debut in a match between Bengal and Haryana in Rohtak. He has since played 34 first-class matches, taking 130 wickets. On December 13, 2015, he debuted in the List A format during the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He has played 24 List A matches, collecting 26 wickets with an economy rate of 5.10. His T20 debut came on January 6, 2016, in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. To date, he has played 23 T20 matches and taken 25 wickets.
Records and achievements
Mukesh Kumar has achieved some key milestones in his career.
- 2020-21 Ranji Trophy: Took the most wickets in a season for Bengal, with a total of 20 wickets.
- 2023 Test debut: Took his first wicket in his debut Test match.
Personal life
Mukesh Kumar comes from a modest background. His father, Kashi Nath Singh, worked as a taxi driver in Kolkata to support their family. Mukesh started playing cricket in Gopalganj and later played under-19 cricket for Bihar. His father encouraged him to move to Kolkata in 2012, where Mukesh continued his cricket career while working in part-time jobs to manage his expenses.
Before pursuing cricket full-time, Mukesh tried to join the army but failed the medical test three times. Despite the setbacks, he focused on cricket, playing in local tournaments where he earned INR 500 per match.
Finance
Mukesh Kumar’s net worth in 2024 is about INR 16 crore (approximately $2 million). His main income comes from the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he has earned around INR 11 crore. For the 2024 season, the Delhi Capitals retained him for INR 5.5 crore. He was also listed in the C-grade players' list of the BCCI contract in February 2024, with an annual payment of INR 1 crore.
Family
Mukesh is from Kakarkund, Gopalganj, Bihar. His father, Kashinath Singh, worked as a taxi driver and passed away in 2019 due to a brain hemorrhage. Mukesh has four sisters and one elder brother. He keeps his personal life private but has shared that he is not married yet. In February 2023, he got engaged to Divya Singh, a software engineer from Chapra, Bihar. She has been very supportive of his cricket career. Mukesh is looking forward to starting a family with Divya.
Cars and House
There is no detailed information about Mukesh’s car collection, though he has been seen driving certain vehicles in social media posts. He lives in a luxurious house with his family in Kolkata. However, there is no confirmed information about owning other properties in major cities.
Scandals
In November 2024, during a match between India A and Australia A, Mukesh Kumar used a hammer to level the pitch. This happened on the third day of the match after issues with the landing area for the bowler, drawing attention from the media and fans.
Fans
In February 2024, Mukesh faced some criticism after a poor performance in the second Test against England. He allowed 44 runs in seven overs during the first innings and was removed from the attack after a bad delivery. Jasprit Bumrah, the top pacer of India, defended Mukesh, saying such mistakes can happen to any player, especially those new to international cricket. Mukesh has 250k followers on Instagram.
