Last Sunday, we travelled to Hyderabad for an exclusive interview with cricketer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, fondly known as ‘Bhuvi’ to all his fans. As he got ready to pose for us at Hyatt Place Banjara Hills/Hyderabad’s plush rooftop space, a couple of young fans walked towards him, requesting a selfie. He obliged with a smile and wished them good luck. “This kind of love keeps me going every day,” he tells us.
Incidentally, this Meerut-born cricketer completed seven years in the industry recently, since his debut with a T20I India vs Pakistan match in December 2012 in Bengaluru. He took three wickets in nine overs, making sure to leave a mark with his first big match. Looking back, he admits that there are very few moments in his career that could be as memorable as this one. “My debut will always be the biggest highlight of my career,” says the 29-year-old, adding, “It’s been a roller-coaster ride, but I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.”
A dream debut
Even before he entered the One Day International (ODI) circuit, this swing bowler turned heads with his ‘dream wicket’, when he handed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar his first duck in Indian domestic cricket. The then 19-year-old was definitely living his dream. With a five-wicket haul in this Ranji Trophy final in Hyderabad, he had already become a name.
He then followed it up with a stream of successes. In his debut Test series, he took six wickets in four matches against Australia in the 2013 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He also shared a record partnership with India’s former Captain cool MS Dhoni for the ninth wicket in the first Test of the series. Although Bhuvneshwar usually operates at an average pace of early 130s, he established himself as a mainstay in the bowling unit of Indian cricket team in the years to come.
Sister act
It all started when his sister, Rekha Adhana, encouraged her teen brother to join a cricket coaching academy in their home state, Uttar Pradesh. The then 13-year-old was fascinated by the game, thanks to legendary cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. Bhuvneshwar had spent his holidays playing gully cricket and was more than happy to join an academy. Interestingly, he points out that he never considered the prospect of becoming a full-time cricketer. “I didn’t even think I had much of a chance till I was selected in the Under 15 team in UP.”
However, a couple of years into playing the sport professionally, Bhuvi had to create the right balance between his pace and swing.“Initially, I was a swing bowler. But as my pace developed, coaches told me that I had lost my swing. I spent a good number of years to overcome this. I kept going back to coaches, practised a lot more and finally, things got better,” says the right-arm swing bowler.
Love in the time of cricket
Married to his childhood friend Nupur in 2017, this cricketer is all about spending quality time with his wife.The usually reticent sportsman needed a gentle nudge to start talking about his love story. “We were neighbours who would play together with other friends when we were much younger. As we grew up, she moved out for college and I started to get busy with cricket. Thanks to Facebook, we reconnected. Like many other love stories, it started with a simple hi. Now, we’ve been married for two years. She has been there for me in every step of my life.”
The healing process
Bhuvneshwar ended 2019 on a bitter-sweet note with injuries. “I believe in going with the flow. Injuries are frustrating at times because you can’t play and you get restless. I’m hopeful that I will make a comeback soon.”Though he was forced to experience this setback, he seems to be taking it calmly only to rise like the phoenix from the ashes, when the time calls for it.
When the sun rises
Apart from his achievements in ODIs and Test matches, Bhuvi won the hearts with his two-time Purple Cap win (award presented to the leading wicket-taker in the tournament) in Indian Premier League. After having played for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Pune Warriors India, he joined Sunrisers Hyderabad and led the Orange Army as the Vice-Captain.