OTD| India’s star pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was born in 1990

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the renowned Indian pace bowler, is celebrating his 34th birthday. Once a sensation in 2013, he gained recognition for his exceptional swing bowling, possessing the ability to move the ball both ways. Operating at speeds exceeding 135 kmph in his prime, Bhuvneshwar proved to be a valuable asset for the Indian cricket team.

A key contributor to India’s Champions Trophy victory in 2013, Bhuvneshwar remained a consistent presence in major tournaments until the T20 World Cup in 2022. Unfortunately, since then, the right-arm pacer has not had the opportunity to represent India in matches, presenting a challenging reality. Despite this, Bhuvneshwar is actively working towards making a comeback to the national side.

Recently, in the opening match of Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy 2024, Bhuvneshwar showcased his skills by claiming a five-wicket haul upon his return. Impressively, he exhibited an enhanced pace while retaining his trademark swing. If Bhuvneshwar can deliver an exceptional season for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, he stands a chance to be considered for selection in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2024.

The best performances of Bhuvneshwar came in T20Is at his prime. He claimed 2 fifers in the shortest format of the game. One of them came against South Africa in their own backyard which led to a series win for India. The other one came in the Asia Cup 2022 match against arch-rivals Pakistan. Bhuvneshwar was unfortunate to not get many chances in Test cricket despite performing very well.

In the second half of the 2010s, Bhuvneshwar did nothing wrong in the longest format of the game. He was lethal with his swing bowling and was handy with the bat as well. On the tour of South Africa and England, Bhuvneshwar stood up for the Indian team. However, he did not get the backing from India after 2019. To date, he remains to be one of the best swing bowlers produced by India.