When praise comes from a great of the sport, then it becomes even more special, does it not? Perhaps much like that lasting achievement that you become proud of till the end of time, something so special that it becomes much like that feat that is like no other! More true in modern day competitive sport than most other sports! And in the most recent case, rich praise came a certain Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s way from none other than a colossal name in the sphere of batting, that great man called Virat Kohli. And surely when giants of the game such as Virat Kohli or Sachin Tendulkar or even Mahendra Singh Dhoni take a moment to applaud another great of the game, then the plaudit becomes extra bit special. And in this case, it’s become so relevant and good that it is inspiring cricket authors to pen pieces around it.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, known for his consistent lines and lengths and for being that extra bit disciplined with his medium fast bowling has become a household name in Indian cricket. Internationally too, he has earned such good praise that commentators, whether Sir Ian Bishop or Mike Haysman, or India’s greats such as Sir Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and the great Harsha Bhogle sing rich praises about him. For someone who has come a really long way from dismissing the iconic Tendulkar in his maiden spell in first class domestic cricket to becoming the first ever bowler in the history of the Indian Premier League to take over 200 wickets, Kumar is an icon, albeit an underrated one.
Most recently he was admired by King Kohli himself!
Forming the part of the mainstay or the spearhead of the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s bowling attack, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has struck vital blows for his team, rescued lost contests from the point of oblivion and given his team fresh new chances of hoping against hope.
For all that and more, the mighty Virat Kohli shared in no uncertain terms that Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been among the “Top 3 pacers in the Indian Premier League, ever!”
So having said that one has to admit there’s a strong sense of occasion to Kohli’s praise of Kumar
The right arm medium fast bowler is comfortably beyond 36!
While on the one hand he is no longer a part of the firmament of Indian Cricket, his stocks in the Indian Premier League aren’t withering away any time soon. As a matter of fact, Kumar, a genuine swinger with the white ball and someone who loves to bring the ball back in, has only grown in strength and contest fiercely game after game with the Royal Challengers Bangalore, his home in the checkered journey of the IPL.
A constant wicket taker
Here is someone who has a knack of stopping high scoring rates early on in the contest, Kumar’s recognition as a premier fast bowler and among the very best competing in the Indian Premier League actually also highlights the selflessness of Virat Kohli.
While it’s fascinating to see two great cricketers who’ve worn the common Indian jersey back in the past play as teammates, it is also highly spirited and wonderful to see Kumar and Kohli pack such a punch for a team that resides in their heart.
