'No reason to write him off': Rahane on Bhuvneshwar Kumar
What's the story
Former Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane has backed seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar amid his recent struggles in the New Zealand T20I series. The veteran pacer has had a tough return to international cricket, conceding 49, 50, and 40 runs in three consecutive matches while taking just one wicket. Despite showing glimpses of his swing bowling with the new ball, he looked rusty at times.
Patience advised
We shouldn't overthink how he has bowled: Rahane
Rahane, on his recent YouTube video, stressed the need to not overanalyze Bhuvneshwar's performance.
He said, "I don't think we should judge him or overthink how he has bowled. He is an experienced player and would certainly reflect on where he fell short and what he could have done better."
The former cricketer also emphasized that ups and downs are part of the game.
Resilience emphasized
'He has made a comeback at this age'
Rahane also highlighted Bhuvneshwar's resilience and potential for a comeback.
"For me, the biggest story is that he has made a comeback at this age. We should learn from this that, as a bowler, you must never give up," he said.
The former cricketer added that things could change in an instant with players like Bhuvneshwar, who reflect on their game but are also confident in their abilities.
Journey
Return to T20I setup
As mentioned, Bhuvneshwar's performance has been underwhelming so far, with figures of 49/0 in the first T20I, 1/50 in the second, and 0/40 in the third.
He is still one of India's most impactful bowlers across formats, having taken 91 T20I wickets at 24.37.
Earlier, Bhuvneshwar played his first T20I for India after three years and 40 days. He missed 106 T20Is in this period, the longest gap between T20I appearances for India (by matches), according to Cricbuzz.
Praise for Arshdeep
Rahane lauds Arshdeep Singh
Rahane also praised pacer Arshdeep Singh for his impressive performances in the series.
He said, "Talking about Arshdeep, he looked in very good form and displayed a great rhythm. He picked up wickets in the powerplay, both in the previous match and in the third T20I."
The former cricketer stressed on Arshdeep's importance to Team India given his experience of over 100 T20Is and nearing the 150-wicket mark.