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Very few players can swing the ball as well as Bhuvneshwar Kumar in modern cricket. After a lean patch, the veteran pacer displayed his prowess yet again during India's ongoing T20I series against England. The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) bowler has swung the ball a lot on the English pitch, much to his own surprise.
"Honestly I don't know that (why the ball is swinging)," Bhuvneshwar said after bowling India to an unassailable 2-0 lead in the T20I series against England.
"Because I've been here quite a few times and it didn't swing in the last few series I've played here. So yes, even I was very surprised that the white ball is swinging and swinging for a long period of time, especially in the T20 format. And that there's more bounce in the wicket as well. So yes, when the ball swings you enjoy it more. But honestly, I don't know if I'm swinging it, (if it is) some conditions or it's the ball, but yes, I'm glad it's swinging," he added.
This strategy has worked well for him in the first two of the three T20Is against England. He has bagged four wickets for 25 runs over two matches. He is elated by still wary about complacency. "If the ball swings, which is my strength, I look to attack," Bhuvneshwar said.
"Batters attack on flat wickets, they play their shots there, but it swung in these two matches, and I have been on the attack. But it is important to not get ahead of yourself. You feel like bowling one inswinger, one outswinger, one inswinger, but it is important to control that urge. Bowl consistently and set the batters up," he said at the post-match press conference on Saturday night," he said.
The bowler dismissed Jos Buttler, one of T20 cricket's most aggressive batters, in both the games courtesy of his incredible swinging abilities. This has a lot to do with getting the movement first up.
"After an injury, you know you have to do well when you come back," Bhuvneshwar said. "There's no other option. I always felt there will be at least one chance to come back. I knew I would give it 100% then but there is no guarantee the results will be good. Because when you get injured, you get frustrated. There is some disappointment. It is not strictly doubt but you are not in a good frame of mind.
"Luckily I got a chance and did well. Of course, the way the captain and the coach have backed me, it is good… if they backed me and I am doing well, they also must be feeling good that the player they backed is doing well." After his exploits in the last few days, he will be on the plane to Australia for the upcoming T20 World Cup, and a Test comeback too looks realistic," he said.
