NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif praised veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for his match-winning spell against Delhi Capitals, where he rattled the top order early.
Defending a target of 176, Bhuvneshwar struck in the powerplay to reduce DC to 18/3, finishing with impressive figures of 3/26. His strong form this season continues, with 10 wickets in six matches, showing he still has the ability to trouble top batters with swing.
Kaif took to X (formerly Twitter) to reflect on Bhuvneshwar’s journey and raised the possibility of a national comeback.
“There are moments when one gets emotional. Watching Bhuvi bowl so beautifully today brought back memories of the days when he was just 17. I was the UP captain, and was impressed by his control and swing. But selectors said he was too young. I insisted. Bhuvi made his Ranji debut, got Sachin Paaji for duck in the final. He’s 36 now, still troubles the best of batsmen with his swing. India comeback? Why not, Bhuvi still has it in him,” he wrote.
Bhuvneshwar, who last played for India in 2022, has taken 294 wickets in international cricket and recently became only the second bowler overall to reach 200 IPL wickets.
Despite Bhuvneshwar’s early breakthroughs, Delhi Capitals recovered well in the chase. KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs scored crucial fifties, while David Miller finished the game with a quick unbeaten cameo.
Earlier, Royal Challengers Bengaluru managed 175/8, with Phil Salt top-scoring. In the end, DC secured the win and moved up the table, while RCB missed a chance to strengthen their position.