India · Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Right-arm medium-fast bowler · Right-hand bat
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Singh, popularly known as Bhuvi, is an Indian fast-medium bowler renowned for his ability to swing the cricket ball and maintain exceptional control over line and length. Born on 5 February 1990 in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, he bats right-handed and bowls right-arm fast-medium. Over the years, he has built a reputation as a skilled new-ball bowler who can also deliver effective spells during the death overs.
Bhuvneshwar made his T20 International debut against Pakistan on 25 December 2012, followed by his ODI debut on 30 December 2012. He made his Test debut against Australia in February 2013. His early international performances established him as a bowler capable of troubling batters through movement rather than relying solely on pace.
One of the defining periods of his Test career came during India's 2014 tour of England. He took 19 wickets in the five-match Test series, including a memorable 6/82 at Lord's, and contributed valuable runs lower down the order. His performances demonstrated his ability to influence matches with both ball and bat.
Bhuvneshwar also played an important role in India's triumph at the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. In T20 cricket, his variations, accurate yorkers and knuckleball helped him become a dependable option in high-pressure situations. He won the IPL Purple Cap in consecutive seasons, 2016 and 2017, while representing Sunrisers Hyderabad.
His franchise career has included Pune Warriors India, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). As of October 2026, he represents RCB in the IPL and has returned to India's T20I setup after a four-year international absence.
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Man of the Series — Caribbean tri-series |
| 2016 | IPL Purple Cap |
| 2017 | IPL Purple Cap |
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's cricket career is a story of swing bowling, consistent performances and success across international cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL). From making headlines in domestic cricket to winning consecutive IPL Purple Caps, his journey has established him as one of India's notable fast-medium bowlers.
2008–09
Bhuvneshwar Kumar first attracted national attention during the 2008–09 Ranji Trophy final, when he dismissed Sachin Tendulkar for a duck while playing for Uttar Pradesh against Mumbai. The achievement brought the young bowler into the spotlight and highlighted his ability to trouble even experienced batters.
2012
Kumar made his international debut against Pakistan in December 2012. He played his first T20 International on 25 December, followed by his ODI debut on 30 December. His ability to swing the new ball in both directions quickly made him a valuable option for India's limited-overs teams.
2013
Bhuvneshwar made his Test debut against Australia in February 2013. During the Caribbean tri-series later that year, he delivered an impressive spell of 4/8 against Sri Lanka and finished the tournament with 10 wickets in four matches. These performances strengthened his reputation as a bowler capable of controlling the game through movement, accuracy and disciplined bowling.
2014
One of the biggest highlights of Bhuvneshwar Kumar's international career came during India's 2014 Test tour of England. At Lord's, he took 6/82 in England's first innings and scored 52 runs in India's second innings. His all-round contribution helped India secure a famous Test victory at the historic ground and earned him a place on the Lord's honours board.
2016–17
Bhuvneshwar Kumar reached another career milestone while representing Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. He won the IPL Purple Cap in 2016 and 2017, finishing both seasons as the tournament's leading wicket-taker. His ability to swing the ball early and execute accurate deliveries at the death made him a key part of the franchise's bowling attack.
2025–26
Bhuvneshwar Kumar joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ahead of the 2025 IPL season, beginning a new chapter in his franchise career. His experience, new-ball swing and death-over bowling added depth to the team's pace attack. His association with RCB continued into 2026, keeping him an important name to follow in the IPL.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's career journey reflects how swing, accuracy and tactical adaptability can make a fast-medium bowler successful across formats. His achievements with India and in the IPL remain defining chapters of his cricketing career.
Checked 22 October 2026. Retrieval date is 22 October 2026. Cricbuzz lists the T20I table at 89 matches, 1815 balls and 90 wickets, with the timeline showing a 22 October 2026 New Zealand match; ESPNcricinfo’s fetched career table instead lists 88 T20Is, 1791 balls and 90 wickets, so the exact reconciled T20I cutoff is uncertain. Cricbuzz lists Test/ODI last matches as 24 January 2018 and 21 January 2022, and IPL last match as 31 May 2026. These are source cutoffs, not a claim that all formats were current through 22 October. No 2026 India-squad, retirement or fitness inference is made.
| Format | Matches | Innings | Runs | Highest | Average | Strike rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 21 | 29 | 552 | 63* | 22.08 | 45.07 | 0 | 3 |
| ODIs | 121 | 55 | 552 | 53* | 14.15 | 73.90 | 0 | 1 |
| T20Is | 89 | 21 | 67 | 16 | 8.38 | 71.28 | 0 | 0 |
| IPL | 206 | 78 | 354 | 27 | 9.32 | 93.90 | 0 | 0 |
| Format | Matches | Innings | Balls | Runs conceded | Wickets | Best innings | Average | Economy | Strike rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 21 | 37 | 3348 | 1644 | 63 | 6/82 | 26.1 | 2.95 | 53.14 |
| ODIs | 121 | 120 | 5847 | 4951 | 141 | 5/42 | 35.11 | 5.08 | 41.47 |
| T20Is | 89 | 87 | 1815 | 2128 | 90 | 5/4 | 23.64 | 7.03 | 20.17 |
| IPL | 206 | 206 | 4600 | 5913 | 226 | 5/19 | 26.16 | 7.71 | 20.35 |
Statistics sources: Cricbuzz career profile · ESPNcricinfo player profile and stats
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Images are archive player portraits, not photographs of the individual record innings.
Test
Six wickets for 82 runs against England at Lord’s in 2014; the Lord’s honours board identifies this as his career-best Test figures.
ODI
Cricbuzz’s current career bowling table lists 5/42 as his ODI best innings figures.
T20I
Cricbuzz lists 5/4 as his T20I best; ESPN’s report confirms the five-wicket spell against Afghanistan on 8 September 2022.
IPL
Cricbuzz and ESPNcricinfo’s fetched IPL tables both list 5/19 as his best IPL innings figures.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2008–09 | Dismissed Sachin Tendulkar for a duck in the Ranji Trophy final, according to ESPNcricinfo. |
| 2012 | Made his India T20I debut against Pakistan on 25 December and ODI debut against Pakistan on 30 December. |
| 2013 | Made his Test debut against Australia and recorded 4/8 against Sri Lanka in the Caribbean tri-series. |
| 2014 | Took 6/82 and scored 52 at Lord’s against England. |
| 2016–17 | Won the IPL Purple Cap in consecutive seasons with Sunrisers Hyderabad. |
Checked 22 October 2026. Competition and format labels apply to each record.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has produced several memorable spells across international cricket and the IPL. Known for his swing, accuracy and ability to take wickets with the new ball, he has also delivered important performances in high-pressure matches.
| Match | Bowling figures | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| RCB vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2026 | 4/23 | His standout IPL spell against Mumbai Indians on 10 May 2026 |
| India vs Sri Lanka, 2013 | 4/8 | A remarkable spell during the Caribbean tri-series |
| India vs England, Lord's Test, 2014 | 6/82 | His career-best Test innings figures |
| India vs Sri Lanka, ODI cricket, 2017 | 5/42 | His best ODI bowling figures |
Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered an impressive spell of 4/23 against Mumbai Indians in the 2026 IPL season. The performance highlighted his ability to make breakthroughs while keeping the opposition's scoring under control.
His six-wicket performance against England at Lord's in 2014 remains one of the defining spells of his international career. He also scored 52 runs in the same Test, demonstrating his contribution with both bat and ball.
