NEW DELHI: Inside a Royal Challengers Bengaluru setup room equipped with a projector, the coaching group mapped out the next phase of their campaign. Mo Bobat, the franchise’s Director of Cricket, was present with notes in hand as Mentor and Batting coach Dinesh Karthik delivered a confident verdict on their pace spearhead. Head Coach Andy Flower, however, was clearly taken aback when the former wicketkeeper-batter addressed Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s fitness concerns—especially in the context of the bowler’s impact in T20 cricket.
Karthik’s bold backing for Bhuvneshwar
Flower had raised worries about Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s physical condition, but Karthik responded with a statement designed to silence the doubts. In that discussion, Karthik said: “Bhuvi, just for the record, I’m convinced he’s the best bowler India has after (Jasprit) Bumrah even today.” The remark surprised Flower, yet Karthik doubled down: “Bhuvneshwar Kumar, he’s the best T20 bowler.”
Two years on, Flower’s assessment mirrors the praise Karthik had offered earlier—often described as “spot on.” The Zimbabwe veteran now believes that the seamer’s performances were central to the franchise’s success over the past two seasons.
Flower reflects on two seasons of impact
During a virtual interaction held after RCB joined Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings in winning successive IPL titles, Flower argued that the team’s recent achievements would not have looked the same without Bhuvneshwar’s contributions.
Flower said: “Bhuvi has been outstanding for these last two seasons. And it’s arguable that we wouldn’t have had our success at all over the last two seasons if he hadn’t been producing performances under pressure repeatedly that he’s done over the last two seasons.”
Numbers from Bhuvneshwar’s recent IPL run
- Across the last two IPL seasons, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has claimed a combined 45 wickets.
- In the most recent season alone, he took 28 wickets.
- His latest output is his best IPL performance, closing in on his wicket tallies from earlier years—23 wickets in 2016 and 26 wickets in 2017.
- When compared with other leading wicket-takers over the same span, no one has been as destructive as Bhuvneshwar; Prasidh Krishna (41 wickets) is the closest challenger.
- Among bowlers who have delivered at least 100 overs, Bhuvneshwar’s economy rate of 8.55 is only slightly behind Noor Ahmed’s 8.27.
Close to the Purple Cap
- This season, Bhuvneshwar finished just one wicket short of eventual Purple Cap winner Kagiso Rabada.
- At 36 years old, Rabada was more economical and also recorded a better average than his Gujarat Titans rival.
- Rabada’s best figures came against Mumbai Indians, where he produced 4/23.
- That four-wicket haul included dismissals of Ryan Rickelton, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma.
What Flower says Bhuvneshwar brings to the team
Flower’s admiration went beyond results, focusing on how Bhuvneshwar’s craft translates into daily preparation and on-field leadership by example. He described how the coaching staff stays tightly involved in training and how rewarding it is to observe Bhuvneshwar operate with such precision.
Flower explained: “One of the privileged positions that Mo and I find ourselves in is we watch training very closely. We’re very closely involved in every training session, and it’s an absolute pleasure and privilege to watch guys like Virat (Kohli) train, for instance, or Tim David’s power, or indeed Bhuvi’s mastery of his art. And I call it art because that control that he’s got out of his fingers, and what he can do with the ball, and the control of the ball and where he wants it to go is really a pleasure to watch.”
He added: “I admire him greatly. He’s grown that skill over the years. He’s kept himself fit. If you just look at last night as an example, the ball wasn’t swinging that much, and he used that surprise whippy bouncer of his to great effect.”
Flower then highlighted the mental edge Bhuvneshwar displays in matches: “So he probably has surprised me a little with his level of skill, his calmness under pressure, his competitiveness, and his positive effect on everyone around him. You know, whether that’s in a preparation meeting or a debrief or around the training ground.”
He concluded by stressing the bowler’s influence once the team steps out to play: “And most certainly out there in the middle where he’s influencing people around him, not just with his words, but with his demeanour and with his actions. That’s incredibly impressive and has surprised me about how outstanding he is.”
RCB’s latest win: Gujarat Titans down in Ahmedabad
On Sunday, RCB secured a five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The chase was set up after an all-round bowling performance reduced the Shubman Gill-led side to a lower target.
Virat Kohli then steered the run chase with an unbeaten 75 off 42 balls, including the decisive hits that brought the target within reach and sealed the win for RCB.
