Just two days before India’s highly anticipated 1st Test against England, pacer Mukesh Kumar set social media abuzz with a cryptic Instagram story. The message read:
“Karma bides its time. You will always have to watch out. Karma is unforgiving and always gets payback.”
Shortly after the story was posted, fans began decoding what seemed like a thinly veiled message — perhaps expressing frustration over his exclusion from the Test squad. The timing added fuel to the fire, as the post came exactly one day after young pacer Harshit Rana was named in the Test team.
The internet quickly turned into a speculative zone. While some users dismissed it as a general philosophical post, many saw it as Mukesh’s indirect reaction to being snubbed for the tour. For some fans, the perceived injustice was glaring.
"You can really feel Mukesh Kumar’s frustration," one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "He’s toiled hard, picked up around 44 wickets in his last 11 domestic games. Meanwhile, someone like Harshit Rana, with barely 13 domestic matches under his belt, gets retained in the squad. It makes you wonder what’s the point of grinding in domestic cricket if selections don’t reflect it?"
Mukesh Kumar has played three Test matches for India so far — one each in the West Indies, South Africa, and India. However, he has been on the sidelines since the home series against England in early 2024.
While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hasn’t made any official statements regarding Mukesh’s omission, fans continue to debate whether his message was a coincidence or a calculated expression of discontent.
Whether it was a subtle dig, a motivational note, or just a moment of introspection, one thing’s for sure — Mukesh Kumar’s post has sparked a conversation about selection fairness and the value of consistent performances in domestic cricket.
