The support staff and senior players have made me feel comfortable: Abhinav Mukund

Due to the absence of regular openers in the Indian team, Tamil Nadu opener Abhinav Mukund got one more chance to prove his credentials in the longest format of the game in the first of the three-Test series against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium. Although he did little to nothing in the opening innings, where he was dismissed for only 12, he was brilliant on the field where he affected a crucial run out and also took a splendid catch fielding around the bat.

In the second innings when he got another chance to bat, he scored his second Test half century with a gap of 6 years and concluded the day on 81 getting out on what proved to be the last ball of the day. Danushka Gunathilaka trapped him leg before wicket in the last over before stumps just as rain interrupted the play.

Mukund has been a part of the Indian team since the Border Gavaskar Trophy that was played in March but Shikhar Dhawan’s sensational 190 runs knock in the first innings, along with KL Rahul’s comeback, only means that the opening slot is still not assured to Mukund. However, he said the support staff and players have made him feel comfortable.

“The support staff and the senior players have made my stay quite comfortable. People who are coming into the squad feel really comfortable hanging out. I played a lot with Virat [Kohli] and [Ravindra] Jadeja and all of these guys at junior level. I think the culture is as such that it is relaxed in the dressing room. It is a good environment where people want to perform, people want to raise their standards,” the left-hander said while interacting with the media after the end of the day’s play.

Game needs to be raised to be a part of World no. 1 side 

“We are constantly talking about how we are No.1 and we want to be the best in the world. When you want to be part of the No.1 side, you have to raise your game on your own,” Mukund told reporters.

Team India is in a commanding position in the game and pretty much set to take a 1-0 lead unless rain plays a substantial role in the last two days of the game. They have extended the lead almost upto 500 runs after three days of play.