Mukesh, Hangargekar ready to prove mettle for CSK
With injury concerns behind him, Mukesh is looking forward to making his presence felt if and when an opportunity presents itself.
Mukesh Choudhary ( X/ IPL)
CHENNAI: After sitting on the sidelines for 15 months due to injury, 27-year-old Mukesh Choudhary is now fully fit and raring to go for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the ongoing IPL.
The left-arm quick had a great debut IPL season in 2022, picking up 16 wickets in the 13 matches he played. Just as things were looking up, a rib fracture scuppered his plans of building on his impressive season.
“During the last match of 2022 IPL, I suffered a rib fracture, and when I recovered from it, another blow came in the form of a lower back injury. It was a tough time for me, but I’m thankful for CSK for helping me through the recovery process. Now, I’m fully fit and ready to play whenever the team wants me,” said Mukesh in a media interaction.
The youngster has proved his prowess with the ball and is known for his prodigious swing, especially in the powerplay.
With injury concerns behind him, Mukesh is looking forward to making his presence felt if and when an opportunity presents itself.
Divulging his thoughts on his plans for this season, Mukesh said, “I’m working on improving my technique to bowl in the powerplay and in death overs, and I feel my pace has improved from what it used to be back in 2022. I’ve been working on my bowling for the past eight months, and the coaches have told me that they have a plan for me, but now it is about waiting for the opportunity.”
Another youngster who is looking to prove his mettle is 21-year-old Rajvardhan Hangargekar.
“It’s all about patience. From what I’ve observed, even for great players, it takes time for them to get a chance to prove their worth. It could be six months or a year; nobody knows. So, it’s all about waiting for a chance, and till then, I’ll be improving my game,” said Hangargekar.
Hailing from Tuljapur in Maharashtra, Hangargekar, who played two games for CSK last season, is yet another future prospect for the team.
The fiery fast bowler, who also has great power-hitting ability, can prove to be a great asset for the management in both departments.
“It is a star-studded team, so obviously it’s tough to get a chance. But being with the team for two years has helped me a lot in terms of improving my game,” said Hangargekar.
