Bhuvneshwar Kumar Turns 35: Why He’s Called Swing King, His Career Stats And Facts

Last Updated:February 05, 2025, 06:00 IST

Happy Birthday Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Indian pacer is the only Indian bowler to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar for a duck in first-class cricket.

Happy Birthday Bhuvneshwar Kumar: One of India’s most prolific pacers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar celebrates his 35th birthday today. In his debut match for India in 2012, Bhuvneshwar seemed like the answer to India’s fast-bowling scarcity. He demonstrated his mastery of line and length in the 2008-2009 Ranji Trophy final. The right-arm pacer gradually paved his way into the senior squad, making his international debut against Pakistan in Bengaluru. Bhuvneshwar has also been a menace in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Today let’s take a look at his stats and some key facts about him.

Why is Bhuvneshwar Kumar known as Swing King?

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is one of the finest swing bowlers India has produced. His exceptional ability to swing the ball both ways earned him the nickname of Swing King amongst fans. His lethal inswingers made him a highly effective option who could deceive batters with the ball’s movement. Bhuvneshwar is also known for his pinpoint accuracy which makes it difficult for batters to score freely.

10 key facts about Bhuvneshwar Kumar

1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the first Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul across all formats in international cricket.
2. He is the only Indian bowler to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar for a duck in first-class cricket.
3. He was also named in ICC’s Team of the Tournament after India’s Champions Trophy triumph in 2013.
4. Bhuvneshwar was the highest wicket-taker at the 2022 Asia Cup with 11 scalps in 5 innings.
5. He is a two-time Purple Cap winner in the IPL, with triumphs in 2016 and 2017.
6. He is also the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s leading wicket-taker with 157 scalps in 145 games.
7. Bhuvneshwar has not competed in the Indian jersey since November 2022.
8. He has won three Player of the Series awards in his T20I career.
9. He has bowled the sixth most maidens in T20I cricket with 10 such overs.
10. Bhuvneshwar is fondly known as Bhuvi in Indian cricket.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s Stats

• Bhuvneshwar Kumar has represented India in 121 ODIs and 87 T20Is. In these matches, he has scalped 231 wickets. The Swing King has played for India in 21 Tests while picking up 63 wickets. He scored 1171 runs across all formats for India in international cricket. This tally also includes four half-centuries.
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar lifted the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy with India. He also won the Asia Cup in 2016 and 2018. In international cricket, Bhuvneshwar finished as runners-up in two major tournaments, including the 2014 T20 World Cup and the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar has played 176 matches in the IPL since making his debut in 2011. He has claimed 181 scalps at an economy of 7.56 in the IPL. Bhuvneshwar won the IPL crown once in his career in 2016 with the Sunrisers Hyderabad.