Michael Vaughan went on to call India’s pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar ‘the most skillful’ white-ball bowler in the world’ currently, who possesses great variety. He also heaped rich praise on his fantastic comeback in the ongoing limited-overs series against England.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan was all praise for Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Coming back to the squad on the back of a long injury layoff–which lasted over 15 months–the Uttar Pradesh bowler has been in good form. Although he only picked up four wickets in the five-match T20I series against England in Ahmedabad, it was the way he bowled that was more encouraging.
Michael Vaughan: Bhuvneshwar Kumar Is The Most Skillful White Ball Bowler Possessing Great Variety
Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up two important wickets in the fifth and deciding T20I, giving away 15 runs in four overs at an economy rate of 3.80. In the same match, every other bowler across both teams went for at least 7.80 runs per over. Hence, and rightfully so, Bhuvneshwar Kumar won the Man of the Match award.
He carried his form into the first opening game of the ODI series at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The 31-year-old returned with figures of 2/30 in nine overs, proving to be extremely economical and helping the hosts vastly in controlling the run-flow when it was most needed.
Michael Vaughan, while speaking to Cricbuzz, went on to call Bhuvneshwar Kumar the most skillful white-ball bowler in the world currently, who possesses great variety. He also heaped praise on his fantastic comeback after being sidelined for a year or so.
“Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the most skillful white-ball bowler in the world. I can’t think of any other [bowler] that bowls at 80-odd miles an hour and has that white ball moving as he does. There’s no one I know that can just get the ball to subtly move like Kumar can. Whether it’s outswinger, the inswinger, the cutters.”
” He can bowl the yorkers and the bouncers. Not often but when he wants to unsettle a batsman, he’ll bowl a bouncer. I don’t know of a more skillful bowler. At that pace around the world. When you think he’s coming back from an injury, a remarkable comeback for Bhuvneshwar Kumar,” said Vaughan.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a calm figure on and off the field and isn’t known to lose his focus, temper, and composure. He is seen going about his business and doing what he does best to take wickets.
Michael Vaughan: While Facing Bhuvneshwar Kumar One Have To Think Hard As Batsman
Michael Vaughan added that the danger lies in his bowling and not he’s not necessarily intimidating. He also stated that while facing someone like Bhuvneshwar Kumar one really has to think hard as a batsman as he can out skill the batsman catching him off-guard.
“Give me someone bowling 90-odd miles an hour any day of the week. I’ll face them with my eyes shut because I just like the pace. But with someone like Bhuvneshwar, you have to think so much. Everything has to be spot on in your timing. Because you know he’ll be probing that front-foot, moving that ball either way. “
“He can out skill you. He can bowl the balls that you necessarily can’t prepare for. When you’re facing real quick bowling, it’s just your instincts taking over; you can just react and play. When you are facing someone like Bhuvneshwar, you really have to think hard as a batsman,” concluded Michael Vaughan.
India and England lock horns in the second ODI of the three-match series at the same venue-Pune on Friday, March 26. In order to stay alive in the series, the visitors must win this encounter.
A sports hernia meant the pacer didn’t play any international cricket in 2020 before the COVID-19 break, and he only played four games in IPL 2020 as his tryst with injuries extended further. He picked four wickets in the 5 T20Is against England at an impressive economic rate of 6.39 averaging 28.75. In the five games, he bowled 18 overs in which he gave away just 115 runs.