The successful moments at the international stage don’t push Bhuvneshwar Kumar but a wicket in Ranji Trophy during his early stage of the career does.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar file image. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)
The conventional way for a cricketer to make his way into fame and attention is to play consistently at a top-level. But Bhuvneshwar Kumar did not play his way, the pacer instead swung his way into success and limelight. And many believe his journey started from the very first international match he bowled in.
In a politically charged series against a touring Pakistan side, Bhuvneshwar was included in the playing eleven of the first T20I. He returned with a figure of 3/9 at an economy of 2.25, while the world witnessed a special wrist that had the ability to swing the ball viciously in both the directions at a commendable pace.
The Pakistani batsmen had no clue how to deal with the late movements as Kumar flirted with the edges of their willow and the gaps between their bat and pad to announce himself at the biggest stage in a grand style.
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Eight years down the line, the 30-year-old has become a frontline bowler, has experienced patchy phases and seen injuries cutting his playing time. With such hefty amount of experiences, Bhuvneshwar needs no inspiration from an external source to motivate him.
However, it’s not the wickets or the successful moments at the international stage that drives him but a wicket in Ranji Trophy during his early stage of the career does.
Bhuvneshwar regards the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar in the game between Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai in the 2008-09 season as one of the two defining moments of his career. And going by his words “everything started in his life after that wicket”.
“I couldn’t even meet Sachin in the eyes when I got him out, I was that intimidated. And when the moment happened, I didn’t realize how big it was. It was only when I saw it all over the news the next day that I understood the significance of that wicket,” Kumar said in a web show on Cricbuzz.
“In a way, everything in my life started after that wicket. People started to know me— and every good performance of mine till that point suddenly started getting attention,” he added.
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