How Pune’s cricketing circle groomed Mukesh

lsquoCatch them youngrsquo is often the mantra in many sports and cricket is no exception However with enough talent correct guidance and right attitude a player can reach a certain respectable level even after starting late Chennai Super Kingsrsquo leftarm pacer Mukesh Chaudhary is a good example of thatIn todayrsquos competitive world playing your first cricket game of some recognition around 18 is quite late But as a pace bowler there are a few advantages with it too ldquoI remember it was around 201516 when Mukesh first came to our academyrdquo recalled Rajesh Mahurkar coach at the 22 Yards cricket academy in Pune where Chaudhary trainslsquoHe is specialrsquoldquoHe looked different compared to others who joined with him Bhave sir former Maharashtra skipper Surendra head coach at the academy told me lsquolook after this boy he is specialrsquordquo Mahurkar addedThe advantage of starting so late according to Mahurkar was that Chaudharyrsquos body was ready ldquoHe already bowled at good pace We had to work a bit on his action his basics changing a bit from side on to front on while bowling to lefthand batsmen using the crease that kind of stuffrdquo Mahurkar saidOnce all those bases were covered it was about learning the matchbowling ldquoOur academy doesnrsquot play in the invitation league selection tournament for the Maharashtra team So after Chaudhary played a year for the Cadence team Bhave sir called a friend requesting them to play Mukesh at Deccan Gymkhana as their pacerrdquo Mahurkar addedLeader of the packA good showing for Deccan Gymkhana eventually opened doors for his Ranji Trophy debut in the 201718 season with a game against Railways in Pune Chaudhary has played 13 firstclass games since then and has 38 wickets He has eventually graduated into the role of being the leader of the pack as far as Maharashtrarsquos pace department is concernedldquoI remember a game against Odisha where they had to just bat out the last day while we desperately needed a win Chaudhary told me lsquogive me the ballrsquo and took four wickets to win the game for usrdquo remembers Maharashtra Ranji skipper Ankit Bawne While being a firstclass cricketer Chaudhary was constantly auditioning as a net bowler in the IPL ldquoHe went as a net bowler for the Mumbai Indians Sunrisers Hyderabad then last year to Dubai with Chennai Super Kingsrdquo said Mahurkar ldquoAfter the Chennai stint he told me lsquoDhoni saw me and looked impressed Maybe I have a chance next seasonrsquordquo Mahurkar addedProud parentsAlthough he hasnrsquot quite taken the tournament by storm in his first season Chaudhary has an impressive tally of 11 wickets from eight games including a fourwicket haul in CSKrsquos last game against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Pune on May 1 That game was witnessed by both his parents for the first time watching their son play live ldquoHe always loved to play cricketrdquo said Mukeshrsquos father Gopal who works as a crusher on a construction site in Yavatmal district in MaharashtraIt must not have been easy for Mukesh studying in Jaipur till Class 8 and then in Pune since He has spent most of his school life in a hostel and away from parentsSo what next for the 25yearold pacer ldquoHe bowls well with the new and semiold ball He now needs to develop skills to bowl well with the old ball Thatrsquos when the fivewicket hauls will start coming inrdquo remarked Mahurkar