Praveen Kumar interested in mentoring young bowlers

Former Indian International and UP bowler, Praveen Kumar, stated that he would be interested in dispensing his knowledge and experience to young bowlers. Kumar has been a regular in the Domestic circuit with the Uttar Pradesh side and also in the IPL for various franchises namely Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Lions.

Praveen Kumar, who was an integral part of the Indian squad for a brief stint, last represented the country March 2012 in the Asia Cup at Dhaka. Kumar stole the limelight due to his swing and nagging line and length, which even the greats of the game found it difficult to negotiate with.

Like many a fast bowler in the country, injuries interrupted his international career and the soon to be 31-year-old could never make a comeback since he last played for the country five years ago. Though his chances of making national comeback look bleak, Kumar stated that he remains motivated to play better than the previous game rather than sitting idle at home.

UP without the services of key players this season

With RP Singh moving to Gujarat and Piyush Chawla following his path subsequently, the onus is now on the veterans of UP such as Suresh Raina and Praveen Kumar himself to guide the youngsters in the squad. The other blow to the UP squad would be the absence of Kuldeep Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar due to National duties.

“The only motivation is that it is better to play a few games rather than sitting idle at home. I plan to play for another couple of seasons and be a part of the IPL earning some money. That’s the whole motivation,” commented Praveen Kumar when enquired about his motivation to play the game.

With the absence of key players, Praveen Kumar is looking to shepherd the youngsters in the team. “They (youngsters) come and take lessons from me. So I would love to mentor youngsters. It is good to share what I have learnt,” concluded the Meerut pacer.