Following the announcement of India's squad for the upcoming Test series against England, a cloud of speculation and intrigue has emerged, fueled by a cryptic social media post from overlooked Indian pacer Mukesh Kumar. Kumar's message, shared on Instagram, reads: "Karma bides its time. You will always have to watch out. Karma is unforgiving and always gets payback."

This post has ignited discussions among cricket fans and analysts, particularly in light of recent team selections. Mukesh Kumar was not originally named in the squad for the five-match Test series against England, which commences on June 20th. Instead, he was selected for the India A squad, participating in two unofficial Tests against the England Lions. In the first of these matches, held in Canterbury, Kumar demonstrated his capabilities by taking three wickets for 92 runs in the England Lions' first innings.

Adding fuel to the fire, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the inclusion of Harshit Rana in the main squad just a day before Kumar's cryptic post. Rana also played in the same India A game as Kumar, but his performance yielded less impressive figures of 1/99. The decision to bring in Rana, while overlooking Kumar, has led many to interpret Kumar's social media activity as a direct response to this perceived injustice.

Mukesh Kumar's Test career has shown promise since his debut against the West Indies in July 2023. In the three Test matches he has played, the 31-year-old has taken seven wickets with an economy rate of 3.78 and an average of 25.57. He last played a Test match against England in February 2024 and has been considered a reliable bowler in the red-ball format. Many expected that his bowling style would be particularly valuable in English conditions.

Conversely, Harshit Rana has featured in two Tests, debuting during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in November 2024. He has secured four wickets, maintaining an economy rate of 4.51 and an average of 50.75.

The timing of Mukesh Kumar's "karma" message, combined with his exclusion and Rana's inclusion, suggests a sense of disappointment and perhaps a belief that he was unfairly passed over. While Kumar's message is open to interpretation, the context within which it was posted makes it hard to ignore the possible implications regarding team selection and the perceived role of karma in professional sports.