Bhuvneshwar Kumar
India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar believes staying focused on his work without expecting too much from himself helped him deal with a four-year absence from international cricket. He eventually returned to action in the first T20I against New Zealand.
The experienced bowler returned to the national setup earlier this month as a replacement for injured Arshdeep Singh in the fifth T20I against the West Indies, but rain washed out the match.
I think that’s how things worked out for me in the last 3-4 years. And that has happened in the last 3-4 years,” he said. Bhuvneshwar acknowledged that T20 cricket has changed considerably, with batters attacking from the first ball and scores of 200 becoming increasingly common.
Because conditions often offer limited help to bowlers, he also pointed out that overseas tours, particularly to SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia), present challenges.
Bhuvneshwar said the years away from international cricket taught him patience and maturity. Success in these conditions requires maturity, careful planning and teamwork, according to him. Reflecting on India’s opening win against New Zealand, Bhuvneshwar said a strong start could boost confidence across the squad and help the team perform better throughout the tour and in other formats.
Speaking in a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Bhuvneshwar explained that focusing on the present instead of worrying about a comeback helped him grow as a player and person. “The headspace I am in is very simple. I have no expectations of myself. No expectations; just keep doing your work. Generally, we talk about being present; we don’t think about the future. I think that’s the headspace I am in right now. Rather than constantly chasing a place in the Indian team, he concentrated on improving his game through the IPL and domestic cricket. However, he believes bowlers can still control the game by using smart strategies and making batters hit where they want.