Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star and Indian player Mohammad Kaif urged everyone to have patience with pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The veteran Indian bowler made his return to the Indian team after four years in the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand. Bhuvneshwar Kumar last played for India in 2022.
The former RCB cricketer pointed out that there was a huge difference between playing in the IPL and international cricket. He felt that expecting wickets from Bhuvneshwar Kumar straightaway on his return to the side is not ideal and is living in a fool’s paradise. Kaif further added that the pitches so far in New Zealand have been good to bat on, making it all the more difficult for someone coming back after a long gap.
Mohammad Kaif’s initial thoughts on Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Speaking on his own YouTube channel, Mohammad Kaif said, “He is coming back after four years. Give him some time. It has been only two games. Cricket changes a lot in four years. We feel that he will pick a wicket on the very first ball. The game has gone to new heights. Playing in the IPL and playing for India is very different. People thought the ball would swing a lot in New Zealand, but the batting conditions are actually good here. Right away, he is back against a strong team.”Â
Kaif reflected that judging the veteran bowler and RCB star based on just two games would be too early and an injustice to him. However, he also called for Bhuvneshwar to work on the no-balls, which proved costly for him in both games. That said, he opined that the veteran bowler bowled well in phases and asked all the people and critics to wait till the end of the series before drawing any conclusion.
Mohammad Kaif further added, “It is early to judge right now. Yes, he will have to work on the no-balls. That is changing the momentum for him. It shows 50 off four overs, but if you break it down over by over, his bowling has been decent. Wait for the whole series and then analyse. He has bowled well in patches.”Â
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s comeback has not been on the expected lines. The RCB pacer returned with figures of 0/49 in the first T20I and 1/50 in the second T20I. He has been expensive and has failed to create enough impact so far.
Mohammad Kaif heaps massive praise on Prince Yadav
In the same video and conversation, Mohammad Kaif heaped more praise on young pacer Prince Yadav, who performed in the second T20I. Prince replaced Mayank Yadav in the playing XI, and he made an immediate impact on his return to the side. The former RCB batter Kaif praised Prince Yadav for his variations and for using them at the right time with a well-thought-out plan. He returned with figures of 1/30 in 4 overs at an economy rate of 7.5 as he picked up the big wicket of Finn Allen.
He said, “India bowled very well in this game. After a long time, we saw a game where they restricted the opposition to 180. Otherwise, 200 was the norm. I think there is a good balance in this combination. Prince Yadav bowled really well. His thinking was really good, bringing in yorkers. I am very impressed with him. He has the pace; he has the slower ones too; the yorkers are there. It is very early, but he has done really well compared to others so far. A game plan is seen in his bowling.”Â
Kaif also lauded the young pacer Prince for his knack of picking up wickets and performing under pressure. He was particularly impressed with how the young pacer made the most of his opportunities despite not being picked regularly in the playing XI.
Kaif further expressed, “I want to praise his wicket-taking ability. Out of everyone, I will keep him ahead in terms of bowling under pressure and delivering. He has been playing in the IPL for 2-3 years and carrying his role. You will get hit, but can you pick up wickets? That makes all the difference. Prince has also been dropped and is not getting consistent chances. But despite that, he is showing composure and has that X-factor.”
Prince Yadav has picked up 11 wickets at an average of 24.72 and an economy of 8.41 in 10 T20Is, with his best figures being 3/22.
Only time will tell whether Bhuvneshwar can get his mojo back and perform in the remaining 3 T20Is.
Also Read: NZ vs IND: 3 Reasons For New Zealand’s Heartbreaking Loss In 2nd T20I