Virat Kohli elevates Bhuvneshwar Kumar into IPL folklore as RCB star nears a pacer’s impossible milestone

Virat Kohli, reserved “remarkable” praise for his teammate Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Updated on: May 7, 2026, 14:42:41 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Veteran India fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar stands on the cusp of achieving something no fast bowler has ever managed in the history of the Indian Premier League. On Thursday, Bhuvneshwar will become the 12th player in IPL history to reach the landmark, and fellow member of that elite club, Virat Kohli, reserved “remarkable” praise for his teammate.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar celebrate a wicket during an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match (PTI)

In the clash against Lucknow Super Giants at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Thursday, Bhuvneshwar will become the 12th player to feature in 200 IPL matches. While all 11 players before him are Indians, none has been a specialist fast bowler. The list includes seven top-order batters, two wicketkeeper-batters and two spin-bowling all-rounders.

Dwayne Bravo is the closest among fast bowlers with 161 appearances, although the former West Indies all-rounder retired from the IPL in 2022. Among active players, Hardik Pandya is next with 160 appearances, followed by Jasprit Bumrah with 155 games.

ALSO READ: ‘Shocked and saddened’: Virat Kohli mourns fallen former India teammate Amanpreet Gill

Ahead of the LSG clash, Kohli praised Bhuvneshwar’s longevity, intelligence and consistency, even branding him among the top three fast bowlers in IPL history.

“It’s a huge achievement to play 200 IPL games, especially as a fast bowler. That speaks volumes about his longevity and consistency. He has played so much cricket across formats and has remained successful throughout,” Kohli said in a video shared by Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

“The thing that has always stood out about Bhuvi is his understanding of the game and his cricket intelligence. He is definitely among the top three pacers in IPL history. When you look at his economy rate, the wickets he has taken, and the number of dot balls he delivers every match, it is truly remarkable. He is someone you can rely on under pressure every single time,” he added.

A look at Bhuvi’s IPL record

One of India’s premier swing bowlers, effective with both the new and old ball, Bhuvneshwar made his IPL debut in 2011. Across 199 matches, he has picked up 215 wickets and remains the only fast bowler to breach the 200-wicket mark. He currently sits second on the all-time wicket-takers list behind Yuzvendra Chahal, who has 229 wickets.

Bhuvneshwar is a two-time IPL champion, winning his first title with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016 and his second with RCB in 2025. He is also the only bowler to win consecutive Purple Caps, claiming 23 wickets in 2016 and 26 in 2017. In addition, he holds the IPL record for most dot balls bowled — 1793.

Bhuvneshwar joined RCB for INR 10.75 crore ahead of last season, where he picked up 17 wickets to help the franchise lift its maiden IPL title. This season, he has already matched that tally in just nine games, operating at an economy rate of 7.54 while currently holding the Purple Cap.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.