Bhuvneshwar Kumar hasn’t played Test cricket for India for the last three years, but he has expressed his desire to play the longest format.
December 2019 was the last time Bhuvneshwar Kumar donned the Indian jersey. It was the T20I series against West Indies, and a groin injury had ruled him out. His sportsman’s hernia had also resurfaced, and that kept him out for three months. Just when he was supposed to make a comeback against South Africa in March 2020, the series was called off.
The Meerut-born fast bowler played just four games for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2020 season of the IPL before a thigh injury ruled him out. Thus, all eyes were on Kumar when he returned to the Indian side for the white-ball leg of this England’s tour of India.
He was very good in the T20I series, and his rhythm just got better and better as the series progressed. Kumar ended up with four wickets, but his economy rate of 6.38 was the best across both teams in the five-match T20I series. In the 50-over format, he was even better. In a series where batsmen kept coming hard and scored big runs at will, Kumar finished the rubber with six wickets at an economy of 4.65. No other bowler across both sides had any other bowler conceding less than 5.33.
Hence, it was a superb return to international cricket for the ace Indian pacer. However, he has his eyes set on red-ball cricket as well and wants to play the longest format.
Kumar last played Test cricket back in January 2018 and it was on the tour of South Africa. He played two Test matches and had picked up 10 wickets. In fact, in the last Test match that he played which was Johannesburg, Kumar won the Player of the Match award for his all-round performance. He scored 30 & 33 in the two innings and returned with figures of 3/44 & 1/39.
Constant injuries have put a break to his Test career. He hasn’t played any red-ball cricket in Ranji Trophy as well. But with the WTC final against New Zealand coming up at Southampton, which will be followed by the five-match Test series in England, Kumar might be crucial to India’s plans. The 31-year-old fast bowler knows that and he will prepare accordingly. His workload and training during the upcoming season of the IPL will be with that goal in mind.
Whatever preparation happens from my side will happen with red-ball cricket in mind. That’s different from what will happen in team selections, but my training and workload during the IPL will happen with Test cricket in mind. I want to play Test cricket going forward,
Kumar said.
Kumar doesn’t have a great record in the recent past with injuries. He has constantly been pegged back by injury, which has hampered him quite a bit. In the post-match chat with the broadcasters, he cheekily said that he is happy going through this entire series without any injuries.
The constant injuries are why he is taking things as they come and not planning too long-term. He admitted that he went down with an injury and a long layoff every time he did that. He has missed quite a bit of cricket in the last two or three years because of that.
I don’t decide on the long term future. Whenever I have in the past, things haven’t gone my way, whether it’s due to injury or form. Workload management is something I will focus on and the team management also tries and does its best.
I was unfit for a long time, so I realized that fitness is something I have to maintain if I want to play regular cricket. I know that there’s an England tour in front along with other series, so I will try to keep myself fit,
Kumar further added.
