The Indian cricket team will embark on a new mission from Sunday in the Tour of South Africa. The Indian cricket team will play three ODIs, three T20Is and two Tests. This is the one of the first times that the three formats will be led by three different Indian cricket team stars. Suryakumar Yadav has been given the reins of the T20I side and the onus will be on him to give the Indian cricket team a great start to the Tour in the first T20I against South Africa on Sunday.
Fast bowler Mukesh Kumar is an important member of the Indian T20I side. He has been picked for the ODI series too. He had good outing against Australia in India’s home T20I series win recently.
However, after playing the first two T20Is, Mukesh Kumar missed the third T20I for a special reason. Suryakumar Yadav, India captain for the T20I series against Australia, revealed the reason behind Mukesh Kumar’s absence at the toss of the third T20I. “Avesh replaces Mukesh, who is playing his biggest game, he’s getting married and we wish him all the best,” Suryakumar Yadav had said then.
Now, a video showing Mukesh Kumar’s hilarious comment after his wedding has gone viral.
“I am feeling good. Jinke saath starting se raha hai, unke saath doosri paadi start kia hu. Aur match bhi agey accha khelunga main inke saath(I have started my second innings with the person I was with from the start. In the future too I will be playing my match well with her),” Mukesh Kumar cane be heard as telling the reporters who were present.
Mukesh Kumar : “Match bhi inke(Wife) sath accha khelunga main” (After His Marriage) pic.twitter.com/Gbubw2nDQh
— Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952_) December 7, 2023
The Indian men’s cricket team departed for South Africa on December 6 (Wednesday) from Bengaluru for an all-format tour in the rainbow nation.
The itinerary is set to unfold with a three-match T20I series (December 10 to 14), followed by a three-match ODI series (December 17 to 21). The final leg of the tour comprises a two-match Test series (from December 26), which will be a part of the ICC World Test Championship. South Africa remains a challenging place for India, particularly in Test cricket where a series victory has proven elusive. Despite previous Indian teams showing promise, they have fallen short of making history in South Africa. In three decades, India have won only four Test matches in South Africa.
Team India has undertaken eight previous tours to South Africa, with the inaugural visit occurring during the 1992/93 season. Under the captaincy of Mohammad Azharuddin, the team engaged in a four-match Test series, followed by seven ODIs. India lost the Test series 1-0 and were defeated 5-2 in the ODI series.