HYDERABAD: Before the start of the new season, Sunrisers Hyderabad's captain
Pat Cummins
was clear in his assessment that having a bowler like
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
, who can bowl at the start and at death, is an asset and enhances his options.
On Thursday,
Bhuvneshwar
justified Cummins' faith in a crunch game against Rajasthan Royals. Defending 12 runs in the final over against
Rovman Powell
, the mainstay of SRH attack showed nerves of steel and scuttled the chase by one run.
In the context of the tournament, the win was crucial as it ended SRH's two-match losing streak and brightened their playoff chances.
"I told everyone that the process is very important," the 34-year-old said after he was adjudged the man of the match for his three for 41. "I was so detached from the result and focused on the process. There was no discussion in the last over. Was thinking just about bowling two good balls, anything could have happened," Bhuvneshwar added.
Nitish Kumar Reddy
, who helped the hosts post 201/3, lauded the veteran. "When I saw Bhuvi bhai coming to bowl, I had the confidence that he could pull it off for us. He did it many times for SRH when in his prime."
His effort against Rajasthan Royals brought back memories of the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018. With 12 required in the final over then too, Bhuvneshwar conceded just six to take his side into the playoffs.
Ever since he joined
Sunrisers
in 2014, Bhuvneshwar, a fine exponent of swing with the new ball, has been the leader of their bowling group. He added a yard of pace in the following years and honed his death-over skills too.
With
David Warner
at the helm between 2015-19, Bhuvneshwar and Co. made defending low totals at home a fine art. He was the
Purple cap holder
with 23 scalps when SRH won the title in 2016 and repeated the feat the next year with 26 wickets.
Injuries in the 2020 season meant he struggled for the next two years, allowing many to question his abilities. But even when not among wickets, his economy of eight an over across seasons underlines his class. "The ball swung so much, really enjoyed it. When the season started, the thought process was different, but it changed when I saw the batters play in such a way," added Bhuvneshwar.
Cummins had the last word. "It was an amazing game. Bhuvi executed that last ball."
English (US) ·