Statistically, Mukesh Choudhary's numbers aren't the kind that demand immediate attention. In the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, he featured in just four games for 15 wickets. But beyond numbers, there's a world the selectors see.
And that involves inputs from state and IPL coaches, as well as the Indian team management. And they've all unanimously felt Choudhary's talent as a left-am seamer is promising enough to keep him in the mix. With few red-ball specialists in domestic circles, Choudhary already has a slight advantage.
On Friday, he lived up to that billing by picking up 5 for 78 - his second first-class five-for - to restrict Jammu & Kashmir's lead to 41 in the Irani Cup.
Mukesh did maximum damage up front with the new ball, moving it both ways to remove openers Qamran Iqbal and Shubham Pundir, and No. 4 Shubham Khajuria inside the first hour to leave J&K tottering at 37 for 4 in response to Rest of India's 237.
Then with the old ball, his accuracy and pace - not always his ally - helped nip out perhaps the biggest scalp, Paras Dogra when he top-edged a pull to long leg for a combative 75, with J&K's lead within touching distance.
"With the way I bowl, I got wickets on every delivery like in-swing, out-swing, bouncers," Choudhary said after the day's play. "So I am working really hard on my fitness and to be mentally fit for any situation. And I feel that I am in control of my bowling all the time."
That Choudhary brought up fitness without even being asked about it was only understandable. He broke through in the IPL in 2022, but had to miss a better part of three subsequent seasons because of a variety of injuries - stress fractures on the back, side strain and ankle issues.
All through, Chennai Super Kings have kept their faith in him and have helped oversee his rehabilitation until recently, when he was added to the BCCI Centre of Excellence's targeted pool of fast bowlers.
"I've had a lot of injuries like back injury and rib fracture and side strain," he said. "So I know what to do nowadays because I used to push myself too much in Ranji Trophy. And I used to bowl very long spells like 11-odd overs spells last year. That caused me a side strain. Now I am really smart with the way I practice, with the way I bowl in the match. And when to put effort and when to go easy when it's not doing much on the wicket."
Coming under the CoE's ambit has also given him new direction, in terms of sticking to a training routine that he believes has brought more accountability. "I used to bowl a lot before," he said. "And used to train less. But nowadays I am keeping my training on top. And bowling also always there for like 30-35 hours a week. So it's a good mix of training and bowling."
On Friday, some of the deliveries Choudhary bowled clocked 140 clicks. This hasn't traditionally been his strength; seam movement and swing has. But Choudhary believes while volumes and tweaked training routines have helped, match situations and the adrenaline of a game sometimes contribute to him cranking up speeds even if he isn't obsessing over bowling quick.
"The situation gets me to bowl my full potential," he said. "Actually before the back injury I used to bowl 130-135. But after the injury I worked really hard on my body. And after injury I started bowling 140 easily. And in white-ball also I bowl more than 140. So in red-ball 140 is I think a good pace."
Choudhary made his debut in first-class debut in 2017-18, but has missed more matches than he has played. He hopes, that will be a thing of the past. The ongoing Irani Cup is just his 23rd first-class fixture.
"It's always tough when you miss out on your matches," he said. "But I know if I'm fit then I can play in any team. And I'm that kind of player who does not want... If something is there like 10% I'm not fit then I'll not play the match.
"Or I don't want to put pressure on my team. Because if I get injured in the match then it's a big loss for the team and for me. So I go all in whenever I play. I go all in and that's the reason I played less matches. And I was not smart enough before that caused me a lot of injuries.
"I know that whenever I'm fit I'll be part of any team. When I got injured during the IPL 2022. Kasi [Viswanathan] sir told me that you just get fit and you are always there in the team. Don't take any pressure or don't get discouraged or feel low. Always stay positive. Whenever you get fit you'll be playing the match. So that gave me a lot of confidence coming from the IPL owners. So that helped me a lot during the 2023 and 2024 season."
Choudhary believes while recognition may have come owing to his IPL exploits at CSK, he still has the hunger for long-format cricket even though the easiest route for someone as injury-prone as him is to settle for playing just T20s.
"I like to play red ball a lot. When I started playing cricket my coach told me to focus on red ball. Because this is the real cricket as we all know," he said. "Virat Kohli and all the legends of the game, they like red ball. So from that point of view I also like red ball. This tests your skills and mindset and your fitness and everything."
Asked if he's looking at it as a second coming of sorts, he said: "I've always improved my game from the way I started in 2017 to this. This is not 2.0 but the same old Mukesh. But this version is more mentally stronger and there is no fear."