IPL 2025: Mukesh yorks his way up the pecking order

Lucknow: Bowling toe-crushing yorkers requires pace and accuracy. In India, Jasprit Bumrah has mastered the art well and is the numero uno as of now. Delhi Capitals’ pacer Mukesh Kumar on Tuesday night reminded his fans that he too could turn it on when the mood takes him as it did against the Lucknow Super Giants.

Despite being hit for 12 runs in his first over, which included a boundary and six by Aiden Markram, Kumar bounced back superbly and surprised the well-set Mitchell Marsh with a perfect yorker that hit the base of the off-stump. That wicket turned out to be the game-changing moment for DC as LSG succumbed to the pressure and could only put 156/6on the board. In reply, DC chased down the target in 17.5 overs with eight wickets in hand.

Coming back to the delivery that got Marsh — even the batter seemed shocked by the sheer perfection of what had transpired. The ball dipped in late, sneaked under the bat even as it was coming down and crashed into the base of the off-stump. It was a delivery that would have done Bumrah or even Waqar Younis proud.

Then, in the final over, after being hit for three consecutive boundaries, Kumar dismissed Ayush Badoni and LSG skipper Rishabh Pant to register his best figures of the season — 4/33. To both Badoni and Pant, he bowled full and straight deliveries to get the desired results. He was adjudged as the Player of the Match.

A visibly excited Kumar was happy he could find the perfect line when his team needed it most. “Really enjoyed bowling on this wicket. Before bowling my second over, I had a chat with the other bowlers, and they told me that it is stopping a bit, so I tried to mix it up,” Kumar said after the match.

“I always communicate with the skipper regarding my plans, whether I am bowling slower balls or yorkers. Mitchell Marsh’s wicket was really crucial, and picking up his wicket was really key for the team around that time,” he added.

DC’s opener Abhishek Porel, who struck a vital half-century in the match against LSG on Tuesday, also showered praise on Kumar for his accurate bowling. “Mukesh (Kumar) is somebody who backs his strength. He is a very hardworking person. He works a lot in practice, especially on his yorkers,” Porel said.

Kumar, who has been part of DC plans for the last three consecutive seasons, has so far taken nine wickets in eight matches this season. But a performance such as this should give him a lot more confidence for the matches to come.