He barely sports a moustache. Just 11 innings old in first-class cricket, 18- year-old Abhinav Mukund has accomplished what most of his contemporaries can only dream about — a triple ton. Not only does his innings of 300 not out against Maharashtra speaks of his poise at the crease, it has helped Tamil Nadu start its Ranji Trophy campaign on a positive note.
Abhinav is happy, though not to the degree of being ecstatic. Like his idol Rahul Dravid, he knows the value of balance. “I need to perform consistently and get big scores in the domestic circuit to be in the reckoning for the national side. Just one innings can’t fetch you a Test cap,” he says.
Hailing from a family of cricketers (his father TS Mukund was a first-division batsman, his mother Lakshmi was a South Zone player, his uncle TS Mohan is regarded as one of the finest fielding coaches in Tamil Nadu and his grandfather was a cricketer), Abhinav didn’t have to look beyond his home for inspiration. He was taught the basics by his father. “He was my first coach and still is. He introduced me to cricket at the age of six and put me through a rigorous schedule that started at 5 am, with a hour and a half in the nets, followed by practice sessions in the evening. He also made me watch cricket videos of top batsmen.
Even now, he is the first person I seek advice from,” reveals Abhinav.
Following his success in the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association League, Abhinav’s firstclass debut came fast — against the Sri Lanka Cricket Invitation XI in Colombo.
Though his entry was rather disappointing, with scores of 11 and 20, he resurfaced during India’s Under-19 series in Sri Lanka where, in the second ‘Test’, he scored a double century and a ton. In four innings, he struck 399 runs at an average of 99.75.
Abhinav’s Ranji Trophy debut followed soon after and he made the most of the opportunity by scoring a century against Karnataka in his first game.
This was followed by 120 versus Saurashtra, a match-winning 96 against Himachal Pradesh and a stodgy 51 against reigning champions Delhi. Beyond doubt, he was Tamil Nadu’s biggest find last season.
This season, Abhinav has amplified his contribution with his triple ton gainst Maharashtra in the season opener at Nasik.
“Everyone has been helpful and there is a lot of team spirit. The knowledge I am gaining is immense. I have a lot to learn before I can even hope to break into the national side,” he says.
Curiously, Abhinav hasn’t been at his best in the shorter versions of the game.
His lacklustre form in the lead-up to the junior World Cup in Kuala Lumpur meant that he was benched.
Though he figured in two IPL matches for the Chennai Super Kings, he couldn’t open his account. “I have the shots to perform well in limited-over matches. It’s only a matter of time before I deliver,” he reasons.
Like most southpaws, Abhinav revels in playing the cover drive. Though not as tall as his Tamil Nadu opening partner M Vijay, an upright stance helps him to employ back-foot and front-foot strokes with equal efficacy.
Importantly, he knows where his offstump is. Abhinav feels that the pull and cut are his most menacing shots. Besides, he is a decent leg-spinner. “I’m putting a lot of effort into my bowling because an all-rounder is an asset to any team,” he says. But his priority, of course, is to evolve into a solid opener for Team India.
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