Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Kumar in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Bhuvneshwar Kumar Singh
Born	(1990-02-05) 5 February 1990 (age 34) Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
Nickname	Bhuvi, Swing King[1]
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)[2]
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	Bowler
International information
National side	India (2012–2022)
Test debut (cap 276)	22 February 2013 v Australia
Last Test	24 January 2018 v South Africa
ODI debut (cap 194)	30 December 2012 v Pakistan
Last ODI	21 January 2022 v South Africa
ODI shirt no.	15
T20I debut (cap 45)	25 December 2012 v Pakistan
Last T20I	22 November 2022 v New Zealand
T20I shirt no.	15
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2007/08–present	Uttar Pradesh
2009–2010, 2025	Royal Challengers Bengaluru
2011–2013	Pune Warriors India
2014–2024	Sunrisers Hyderabad
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC Matches 21 121 77 70 Runs scored 552 552 61 2,433 Batting average 22.08 14.15 10.16 27.03 100s/50s 0/3 0/1 0/0 1/14 Top score 63* 53* 16 128 Balls bowled 3,348 5,847 1,415 12,393 Wickets 63 141 84 218 Bowling average 26.09 35.11 23.31 26.53 5 wickets in innings 4 1 2 13 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0 Best bowling 6/82 5/42 5/4 8/41 Catches/stumpings 8/– 29/– 10/– 18/–
Medal record Men's cricket Representing  India T20 World Cup 2014 Bangladesh Champions Trophy 2013 England and Wales 2017 England and Wales Asia Cup 2016 Bangladesh 2018 United Arab Emirates
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 29 November 2022

Bhuvneshwar Kumar Singh (born 5 February 1990) is an Indian international cricketer who played for the Indian cricket team from 2012 to 2022. He currently plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League and Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket. A right-arm medium bowler, he is known by the nickname "Swing King" for his ability to swing the ball both ways efficiently, with his inswingers more effective than outswingers.^[3][4] Initially starting his career as an opening swing bowler, Kumar upgraded his bowling armoury with reverse swing, slower balls and yorkers to become a death over specialist. With India, Kumar won the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. He became the first bowler to win a Purple Cap of IPL in two consecutive seasons.

He made his international debut in December 2012 against Pakistan, taking three wickets in a Twenty20 International, including one in his first over. He went on to make his One Day International (ODI) debut in the series which followed, where he took a wicket on his first ball.^[5][6] He is the first Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul in Test cricket, ODIs and T20Is.^[7] He is the only bowler whose first wicket in all three formats of the game was bowled. During the 2022 Asia Cup, he was the highest wicket taker with 11 wickets.

Early life

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was born in Meerut on 5 February 1990 to Kiran Pal Singh, a police officer.^[8][9]

His sister encouraged him to play cricket and took him to his first coaching centre when he was 13.^[9]

Domestic career

Kumar plays for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket;^[6] he has also played for Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy^[6][10] and made his first-class debut at the age of 17 against Bengal.^[6][11] In the 2008/09 Ranji Trophy final, he became the first bowler to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar for a duck in first-class cricket.^[12]

Indian Premier League

Following his performances in the 2008/09 Ranji season, he was given an Indian Premier League (IPL) contract by Royal Challengers Bangalore.^[13] In 2011, he was signed by Pune Warriors India, but after the team was dissolved in 2013, he was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹4.25 crores during the 2014 IPL Auction.^[14][15]

In 2016, he played in Sunrisers' team which won the 2016 Indian Premier League, taking 23 wickets and winning the Purple Cap as the bowler who took most wickets during the season.^[16][17] In 2018, he was named the team's vice-captain.^[18]

In the 2022 Indian Premier League mega-auction, Kumar was bought by the Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹4.20 crores.^[19] He was later released by Sunrisers Hyderabad after the 2024 Indian Premier League. In the auctions held in November 2024, Kumar was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for ₹10.75 crores.^[20]

International career

Kumar bowling in 2013

Kumar made his international debut at the end of 2012, playing in T20I and ODI matches against Pakistan. He made his Test debut in 2013 and was part of the Indian team which won the 2013 Champions Trophy.^[21] He was named in the Team of the Tournament by the International Cricket Council (ICC).^[22]

In July 2013, he posted career-best figures of four wickets for eight runs (4/8) against Sri Lanka in the Tri-Nation tournament. He was the leading wicket taker in the tournament and awarded the Player of the Series.^[23]

During the 2014 tour of England, Kumar took new career-best Test match bowling figures of 6/82 at Lord's; he was named the Indian Player of the Series.^[24]

In February 2018, he took a five-wicket haul in a T20I against South Africa. He became the second Indian bowler to take 5 wickets in T20Is.^[25] In January 2019, in the first ODI against Australia, Kumar took his 100th wicket in ODIs.^[26] In April 2019, he was named in India's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup^[27][28] but was later ruled out of a number of matches due to a leg injury. In June 2021, he was named India's vice-captain for their ODI and T20I matches against Sri Lanka^[29] and in September 2021, Kumar was named in India's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.^[30]

In June 2022, Kumar was named India's vice-captain for their T20I matches against Ireland.^[31]

Personal life

On 23 November 2017, Kumar married Nupur Nagar in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.^[32][33] They became parents to a baby girl named Acsah on 24 November 2021.^[34][35]

References

1. "Happy Birthday Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Top 5 Bowling Performances by the 'King of Swing'". News 18. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
2. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar Profile". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
3. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar is one of the best bowlers in the world now: Deep Dasgupta". India Today. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
4. Cricbuzz (26 October 2017), Bhuvneshwar Kumar Mark II has arrived - Harsha Bhogle, retrieved 31 December 2017
5. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar Biography". The Indian Express. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
6. Nanda, Chinmay (5 March 2018). "Bhuvneshwar Kumar – Biography". Crick Academy. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
7. "IND vs SA: Bhuvneshwar Kumar becomes first Indian bowler to take five-wickets in each of the three formats". Times Now. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
8. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar". ESPNcricinfo.
9. "Behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar's success, a sister act". Express India. 11 December 2012. Archived from the original on 17 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
10. "Bhuvneshwar leads Central Zone fightback". ESPNcricinfo. 16 October 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
11. "Bowlers put UP on top". ESPNcricinfo. 17 December 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
12. "Bhuvneshwar lives his dream". ESPNcricinfo. 12 January 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
13. "Bhuvneshwar to replace Ryder for Bangalore". ESPNcricinfo. 2 October 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
14. "IPL 2014 Auctions". NDTV. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
15. "2014 IPL auctions - News". Cricbuzz. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
16. "IPL 2016: Bhuvneshwar Kumar wins purple cap for his impressive show for Sunrisers Hyderabad". Cricket Country. 29 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
17. "Bhuvneshwar keeps his head when others lose it". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
18. Chauhan, Aditya (29 March 2018). "IPL 2018: Bhuvneshwar Kumar appointed vice-captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad". India TV. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
19. Abhishek, Aharon. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar back at Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹4.2 crore at IPL 2022 Auction". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
20. "IPL 2025 Mega Auction: Bhuvneshwar Kumar Gets 156 Percent Hike After RCB Buys Him For 10.75 Crore". Zee News. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
21. "Team of the tournament". ESPNcricinfo. 24 June 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
22. "ICC announces Team of the Tournament". www.icc-cricket.com.
23. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar becomes Man of the Series for Celkon Cup tri-series". Cricschedule. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
24. "Lord's test Bhuvneshwar and Murali Vijay made new records". Patrika Group. 21 July 2014. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
25. NDTVSports.com. "India Vs South Africa, 1st T20I: MS Dhoni, Bhuvneshwar Kumar Orchestrate Team Hat-Trick In India's Win – NDTV Sports". NDTVSports.com. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
26. "India vs Australia: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4th slowest Indian to reach 100 ODI wickets". India Today. 12 January 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
27. "Rahul and Karthik in, Pant and Rayudu out of India's World Cup squad". ESPNcricinfo. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
28. "Dinesh Karthik, Vijay Shankar in India's World Cup squad". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
29. "Shikhar Dhawan to captain India on limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka". ESPNcricinfo. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
30. "India's T20 World Cup squad: R Ashwin picked, MS Dhoni mentor". ESPNcricinfo. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
31. "Hardik Pandya to captain India in Ireland T20Is; Rahul Tripathi gets maiden call-up". ESPNcricinfo. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
32. Thaly, Dattaraj (13 November 2017). "Bhuvneshwar Kumar And Nupur Nagar Get Married In Meerut". NDTV. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
33. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar ties knot with Nupur Nagar in grand ceremony in Meerut". Hindustan Times. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
34. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Nupur Nagar Share Picture of their Daughter". News 18. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
35. "Team India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar shares adorable first picture of newborn daughter- see pic". Times Now. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.

External links

• Bhuvneshwar Kumar at ESPNcricinfo
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar's profile page on Wisden
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar – CricBuzz
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar on Twitter