A net bowler from the ranks of Gujarat Titans and the Bengaluru named Mahesh Kumar is currently going viral with his Jasprit Bumrah-style bowling action.
In a viral video on Bumrah’s uncanny action is one of the reasons why he shot to fame in his debut IPL season.
Such was his influence and improvements that Bumrah is now considered one of the best in the world and India’s No.1. 1 bowler in all formats.
Who is Mahesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah’s cricket double?
Mahesh Kumar is a Bengaluru-based cricketer who plays as a right-arm fast bowler. Born in Mahesh was a net bowler for two IPL teams as well as the Indian national team in Doddaballapur, 45 kilometers from Bangalore. Although he is an unknown quantity in the Indian cricket scene, his viral video on X makes him a much talked about bowler.
🎥 Mahesh Kumar – Net Bowler for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2024.#IPL2024 #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/X5kXtd11hk
— Indian Domestic Cricket Forum – IDCF (@IDCForum) April 29, 2024
Mahesh Kumar’s first stint as a net bowler came in 2017 when India lost the ICC Champions Trophy final to Pakistan in England. Mahesh has bowled against players like Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, legendary MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma among others. He even had the opportunity to meet his idol Jasprit Bumrah during the Indian net sessions.
It is fair to say that Mahesh Kumar has gained a lot of experience as a net bowler and that is something that many aspiring cricketers can only dream of. His next and first net bowling appearance with an IPL team came in the 2018 season with his hometown club Royal Challengers Bengaluru called him over.
He bowled against Virat Kohli again and also had the chance to bowl against former South African captain, former Mr. 360, AB de Villiers. For his action, which effortlessly resembled Jasprit Bumrah, Mahesh Kumar was nicknamed ‘Junior Bumrah’ by the RCB players at the nets.
Mahesh Kumar’s first impression prompted then RCB coach Ashish Nehra to gift him a pair of boots, sign an autograph for Virat Kohli and de Villiers compliment him. He was called up by RCB for all of the franchise’s next home games in 2018. Mahesh, who lives almost 50 km from Chinnaswamy, had said his four-hour journey was always worth it.
“My four-hour round trip from Doddaballapura was worth it.”
Engineering studies, GT call-up in 2022 and return to RCB
Even before appearing in the gates of the India and RCB teams, Mahesh Kumar had completed his engineering degree before realizing his love for cricket.
The 27-year-old is yet to make his debut for his state team Karnataka at the national level but he hopes that one day someone will notice him and include him in their team.
During the 2022 season, Mahesh served as a net bowler for the Gujarat Titans and this season he is once again in the RCB camp. It is his mother’s dream to enable him to make his breakthrough as a professional cricketer. Let’s wait and see what happens next for Mahesh Kumar and whether his viral video helps him get an IPL contract.