From being the net bowler of Sunrisers Hyderabad to emerging as the premier fast bowler for Chennai Super Kings, Mukesh Choudhary has been riding a story over the past few months.
From being the net bowler of Sunrisers Hyderabad to emerging as the premier fast bowler for Chennai Super Kings, Mukesh Choudhary has been riding a story over the past few months.
The crowd at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Sunday mesmerized their home spectators. But connoisseurs of Maharashtra cricket were waiting for another intra-Maharashtra mini-battle later when Chennai Super Kings face Sunrisers Hyderabad.
They had to wait till the sixth over to chase. And the All-Pune one-on-one lasted a single ball. Rahul Tripathi, arguably Pune’s most successful IPL cricketer of all time, marked his guard, Mukesh Choudhary bowling a perfect short ball, with Tripathi attempting an upper-cut straight into Simarjit Singh’s palms at short-third.
Choudhary let out an enthusiastic scream, while Tripathi continued to shake his head, even agonizingly patted his fist on the bat as he crossed the rope, to head back to the change room.
Despite the individual fight and being on the receiving end in the match, Tripathi was one of the first Sunrisers to give Choudhary a warm hug after the game for them. four-wicket haul, After all, the Maharashtra batsman has been one of Choudhary’s staunch supporters ever since he faced him in the nets for the first time in 2015 at the 22 Yards Cricket Academy.
Mukesh Choudhary working on his fast bowling skills with coach Rajesh Mahurkar at 22 Yards Cricket Academy. , photo credit: Rajesh Mahurkar
He may not be as fast as Umran Malik or Kuldeep Sen, but Choudhary has certainly been one of the best stories of the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League. From being the net bowler for Sunrisers Hyderabad to repeating it with Chennai Super Kings during the UAE of IPL 2021, to emerging as the premier fast bowler for the Yellow Brigade, Choudhary has ridden a story over the past few months.
But it hasn’t been that smooth for the left-arm pacer, who has grabbed the attention of the cricketing world after traversing through different corners of the country.
He was born in Bhilwara district of Rajasthan and did his primary education in a residential school in Jaipur near his maternal grandparents’ house. His parents – father Gopal, who is in the stone crushing business and mother Prembai – immigrated to Darwa from Rajasthan in the 1980s. Darwa is a small town about an hour’s drive from Yavatmal, the district headquarters of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.
Father Gopal, who saw Mukesh in action from the stadium for the first time on Sunday, says that Mukesh hardly lives with his parents. “We wanted both our sons to study, so first they were in a hostel in Jaipur and then when Mukesh was in class VIII, we shifted both him and his brother to a residential hostel in Pune.”
Little did Gopal know that more than excelling in education, Mukesh would scale new heights on the cricket field. But his entry into competitive cricket also happened by chance.
Rajesh Mahurkar, head coach of the 22 Gaj Cricket Academy in Bavdhan, which has former Maharashtra captain-coach Surendra Bhave as a mentor, recalls seeing Mukesh, a local cricketer, visit his academy after encountering him on the grounds of the ILS Law College. had brought in.
Mukesh Choudhary working on his fast bowling skills with coach Rajesh Mahurkar at 22 Yards Cricket Academy. , photo credit: Rajesh Mahurkar
“It was around 2015 that he came to our academy for the first time. He didn’t have much speed, but it was something we could work with. He was accompanied by two other left-arm fast bowlers. We talked to all three of them and told them, ‘There is talent, and if they are serious we can work with them. That’s how he started,” recalls Mahurkar.
“Gradually we worked on his action, pace and paced with his fitness. What was different was rain or shine, it was very punctual. He will not miss the training. As we shaped him to be a capable bowler, we had our next challenge in front of us. How can we ask him to play more matches?”
Bhave, who remembers Mukesh’s first impression as “somebody who could be a six-foot fast bowler who had the basic body needed for a fast bowler”, then swung into action and offered some to his local friends. Called.
Tripathi and Satyajit Satbhai, the former Maharashtra wicketkeeper-batsman who is now the BCCI match referee, stepped in and ensured that Choudhary was inducted by one of the most prestigious clubs in the local circuit, Deccan Gymkhana.
“Talent aside, he is so quiet, hardworking and disciplined that everyone tries, and goes out of the way to help him,” says Satbhai.
Consequently, two years after joining 22 yards, Mukesh made his first-class debut in November 2017 under the captaincy of Ankit Bawane. In between, he hone his skills and gained a reputation with consistent appearances and performances in various tournaments.
Be it Maharashtra Cricket Association’s Invitation League, selection tournaments for state teams, Red Bull campus cricket for their college team Marathwada Mitramandal Commerce College with Ruturaj Gaikwad as their teammate or random corporate tournaments in and around Maharashtra , Choudhary continued to work hard. ,
Mukesh Choudhary is honored by Surendra Bhave after representing Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy. , photo credit: Rajesh Mahurkar
“A friend of his, who knew Praveen Tambe, helped him find a corporate team he could play for,” says Mahurkar. “In one match, he took five wickets and suddenly came into limelight. “
And then came the call-up from MRF Pace Academy in Chennai, which proved to be a game-changer. Under the watchful eye of the great Glenn McGrath, Choudhary grew into a fast bowler who was ready to succeed against the odds.
Bavane, who has been reinstated as the captain of Maharashtra, along with Choudhary as a young attacking fast bowler, gives insight into the pacer’s development.
“He’s at a level where he’s no longer vulnerable,” Bavanne says. “He knows he is a regular. He is the kind of bowler that the captain can bowl at any level, regardless of whether he is ready or not.”
Bavane cites Maharashtra’s Ranji Trophy game vs Odisha in 2019-20 as an example. “We needed an outright victory. But there was just one session left and we needed to take six wickets or something and then chase down a small total,” he recalls.
“Mukesh bowled 10-12 overs in a row, took four wickets and we won the match. That attitude comes from within, a willingness to get away on even the quietest pitches. He has it. It is no surprise that CSK have backed him despite some tough games where he has been hit for runs. He is a fast learner and can be persistent.”
It is not just his ability to stick to the plan handed over by the captain that has helped Choudhary gain the trust of the team management. He has been consistent in breaking the IPL barrier from a net bowler to a team regular.
“For the past year or so, he has been working hard to improve his pace. So, he has identified what he has to do to get there. He has improved a lot in his fitness and diet. That way he is very organized,” says Mahurkar.
“Right after the last IPL, he said that MS Dhoni likes his bowling and is encouraging him a lot, and possibly CSK can give him a call-up. It should come as no surprise that they actually bid for her and picked her up at auction.