Bhuvneshwar Kumar is known for turning matches with the new ball, but his most memorable moment after Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s dramatic triumph over Mumbai Indians in Raipur was not with the ball—it was with the bat. Chasing a target in a high-pressure finish, RCB required nine runs from the last three deliveries when Bhuvneshwar cleared his front-leg and sent Raj Bawa over deep cover for a six. The strike tightened the chase to just two runs needed from the final two balls, and Bengaluru ultimately sealed a two-wicket victory on the last delivery. Alongside that late-hitting cameo, Bhuvneshwar also returned figures of 4 for 23 to claim the Player of the Match award.
That six, for sure
When asked what he would take away from the night, Bhuvneshwar didn’t start by talking about his wickets. He went straight to the boundary.
“That six for sure, because I’ve bowled many times and I’ve taken a few wickets before as well. But yeah, six is the thing I’ve enjoyed the most,” Bhuvneshwar said after the match.
The finishing blow underlined a rare side of his game. For much of his IPL journey, his impact has been built on early overs—late swing, accurate defensive lines, and the ability to stay composed when batters are looking to take risks. On this occasion, the timing of his batting made the moment even more significant for RCB. Krunal Pandya’s 73 off 46 balls kept the chase alive after early pressure, yet Bengaluru still needed one decisive intervention from the lower order before the match could be finished on the last ball.
Bowling set the platform
Bhuvneshwar’s spell had already tilted the contest in Bengaluru’s favour. He struck at key moments to remove several important Mumbai Indians batters, including Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma. In the end, MI were restricted to 166 for 7. His 4 for 23 also propelled him back to the top of the Purple Cap standings in IPL 2026.
Motivation ‘overrated’
Post-match, the discussion also turned to his long gap from the Indian team. Bhuvneshwar hasn’t played for India for roughly three-and-a-half years, but he insisted he doesn’t rely on motivation as the main fuel for his performances.
“Honestly, motivation is a very overrated word for me. You read a quote, see a video, get motivated for a few minutes, and then it fades away very quickly. But the thing which keeps me going is the discipline,” he said.
Bhuvneshwar further credited the people around him for keeping him prepared throughout the year. “With that, yes, we have physios and trainers with the team, but I’ve got a physio and trainer back at home. They work hard with me as well. They help me keep in shape. So I think credit goes to them as well,” he added.
The senior fast bowler also described how he plans his bowling lengths. In his view, the choice isn’t about sticking to a rigid blueprint—it’s shaped by the pitch and match situations. “I think everything depends on the wicket and the position as well. Like today, if there was a bit in the wicket when you hit the length ball, and yes, there are wickets which are flat when you bowl a length ball, nothing happens, then you try something different. It’s all about you reading the conditions as quickly as possible,” he said.
He said domestic cricket has played a role in maintaining his sharpness between IPL seasons, pointing to UPT20 and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as key parts of his preparation routine. “I think a good thing is that throughout the year I’m getting enough match practice to stay in touch and enough breaks to recharge and bring back the strength,” he said.
For RCB, the victory carried substantial weight in the points table. Bhuvneshwar acknowledged that dropping the match would have heightened the pressure on the side. “I mean, two crucial points for us. If we had lost that one, I wouldn’t lie, we would be under pressure. But yes, we did well to get those points,” he concluded.
