NEW DELHI: Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has heaped praise on veteran fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar after the pacer delivered a decisive spell against Delhi Capitals, helping turn the contest in the early stages. Chasing a score of 176, Delhi\u2019s top order was put under heavy pressure in the powerplay, with Bhuvneshwar striking repeatedly to leave the franchise reeling at 18\/3. He ultimately finished with figures of 3\/26, underlining why his swing remains a potent weapon even years into his career.<\/p>\n
Kaif, reflecting on Bhuvneshwar\u2019s journey, suggested that a return to the national setup could still be on the cards. The UP great took to X and wrote about the emotions of seeing the bowler in such command, noting that the performance brought him back to the time when Bhuvneshwar was still a teenager in domestic cricket.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are moments when one gets emotional. Watching Bhuvi bowl so beautifully today brought back memories of the days when he was just 17. I was the UP captain, and was impressed by his control and swing. But selectors said he was too young. I insisted. Bhuvi made his Ranji debut, got Sachin Paaji for duck in the final. He\u2019s 36 now, still troubles the best of batsmen with his swing. India comeback? Why not, Bhuvi still has it in him,\u201d Kaif posted.<\/p>\n
The veteran\u2019s impact this season has been a major talking point as well. Bhuvneshwar has taken 10 wickets in six matches, and the latest display highlighted how he can still trouble elite batters, especially with the early-ball movement and disciplined line-and-length.<\/p>\n
Looking at the bigger picture, Bhuvneshwar last represented India in 2022 and has amassed 294 wickets in international cricket. He also recently crossed a key milestone in the IPL, becoming only the second bowler overall to reach 200 league wickets.<\/p>\n
While Bhuvneshwar\u2019s powerplay breakthroughs shaped the opening phase, Delhi\u2019s recovery kept the chase alive and ultimately delivered the win. Earlier in the same contest, Royal Challengers Bengaluru had posted 175\/8, with Phil Salt top-scoring. In the end, Delhi moved up the table after securing victory, while RCB missed an opportunity to strengthen their position in the tournament standings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NEW DELHI: Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has heaped praise on veteran fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar after the pacer delivered a decisive spell against Delhi…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3644,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL News: Kaif Praises Bhuvneshwar\u2019s Early Strike vs DC","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Mohammad Kaif lauds Bhuvneshwar Kumar\u2019s early wickets vs Delhi Capitals, praising the swing spell that rocked DC in the powerplay and set up victory.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n