India’s legendary pacer Zaheer Khan has spoken highly of bowler Mukesh Kumar, saying that he has what it takes to remain a mainstay in India's Test squad for years to come.

The second Test of the two-match series against West Indies finished in a draw at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, with Mukesh taking two wickets in his first international encounter.

“He looked good. There's no doubt about it. He had a good outing out there in his first match, was very composed that showed good temperament. And when you're looking at the bench strength of this Indian team, it's looking very solid. You can see say that Mukesh Kumar is going to be around in this set up for a while,” Zaheer said while speaking with JioCinema.

Mukesh Kumar, according to the former Indian pacer, has to gain another yard of pace in order to be successful on the world stage.

“There is no doubt about that. It’s up to him that how he takes things forward now from here and takes his bowling to the next level. I still felt that he needs to add that a yard or to his pace if he has to be really successful at this level, I can take a leaf out of Siraj’s book and how he has gone about doing his business,” Zaheer added.

Zaheer also warned that with the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, Mukesh may not get many opportunities. Bumrah has been making steady progress in his recuperation from a back ailment, and he may soon be able to rejoin the Indian squad.

“You just need to nurture him and keep him with the team. He has to be ready every time because he's in that position where he might not get a long run. Bumrah might come back and Shami might come back. And then even if he's had a good outing, he might not get a get a game to play. So in that scenario, it’s important how you manage yourself because it can be a frustrating phase,” Zaheer further said.

Since the final day of the second Test was rained off, the two-game series finished in a tie. The Test series was decided by India's resounding victory in Dominica.