Bhuvneshwar Kumar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Kumar in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Bhuvneshwar Kumar Singh
Born	(1990-02-05) 5 February 1990 (age 35) Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
Nickname	Bhuvi, Swing King
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	Bowler
International information
National side	India (2012–2022)
Test debut (cap 276)	22 February 2013 v Australia
Last Test	24 January 2018 v South Africa
ODI debut (cap 194)	30 December 2012 v Pakistan
Last ODI	21 January 2022 v South Africa
ODI shirt no.	15
T20I debut (cap 45)	25 December 2012 v Pakistan
Last T20I	22 November 2022 v New Zealand
T20I shirt no.	15
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2007/08–present	Uttar Pradesh
2009–2010	Royal Challengers Bengaluru
2011–2013	Pune Warriors India
2014–2024	Sunrisers Hyderabad
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC Matches 21 121 77 70 Runs scored 552 552 61 2,433 Batting average 22.08 14.15 10.16 27.03 100s/50s 0/3 0/1 0/0 1/14 Top score 63* 53* 16 128 Balls bowled 3,348 5,847 1,415 12,393 Wickets 63 141 90 218 Bowling average 26.09 35.11 23.31 26.53 5 wickets in innings 4 1 2 13 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0 Best bowling 6/82 5/42 5/4 8/41 Catches/stumpings 8/– 29/– 10/– 18/–
Medal record Men's cricket Representing  India T20 World Cup Second 2014 Bangladesh Champions Trophy 2013 England and Wales Second 2017 England and Wales Asia Cup 2016 Bangladesh 2018 United Arab Emirates
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 29 November 2022

Bhuvneshwar Kumar Singh (born 5 February 1990) is a famous Indian cricketer. He played for the Indian cricket team from 2012 to 2022. He is known as "Swing King" because he can make the cricket ball curve in the air. This makes it hard for batsmen to hit.

Bhuvneshwar is a right-arm medium bowler. He started his career by swinging the ball. Later, he learned new tricks like reverse swing, slower balls, and yorkers. These skills made him a specialist in the final overs of a game. He helped India win the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. He was also the first bowler to win the Purple Cap twice in a row in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Purple Cap goes to the bowler who takes the most wickets in an IPL season.

He played his first international match in December 2012 against Pakistan. He took three wickets in that Twenty20 International (T20I) game. He even got a wicket in his very first over! He then played his first One Day International (ODI) match. He took a wicket on his first ball in that game too. Bhuvneshwar is the only Indian bowler to take five wickets in a single game in all three types of international cricket: Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. He is also the only bowler whose first wicket in all three formats was a bowled dismissal. In the 2022 Asia Cup, he took the most wickets with 11.

Early Life and Cricket Journey

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was born in Meerut, India, on 5 February 1990. His father, Kiran Pal Singh, was a police officer.

His sister played a big role in his cricket journey. She encouraged him to play and took him to his first coaching center when he was only 13 years old.

Playing for Domestic Teams

Bhuvneshwar plays for the Uttar Pradesh in Indian domestic cricket. He also played for Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy. He played his first first-class cricket match when he was 17. This was against the Bengal team.

In the 2008-09 Ranji Trophy final, he made history. He became the first bowler to get Sachin Tendulkar out for a duck in first-class cricket. A duck means a batsman gets out without scoring any runs.

Playing in the Indian Premier League

After his great performance in the 2008-09 Ranji season, he joined the Indian Premier League (IPL). He first played for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

In 2011, he moved to Pune Warriors India. When that team stopped playing in 2013, Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him. They paid ₹4.25 crores for him in the 2014 IPL Auction.

In 2016, he was part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad team that won the 2016 Indian Premier League. He took 23 wickets that season. This earned him the Purple Cap, given to the bowler with the most wickets. In 2018, he became the team's vice-captain.

In the 2022 IPL mega-auction, Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him again for ₹4.20 crores. After the 2024 IPL, Sunrisers Hyderabad released him. In November 2024, Royal Challengers Bangalore bought him for ₹10.75 crores.

International Cricket Career

Kumar bowling in 2013

Bhuvneshwar started playing for India internationally in late 2012. He played in T20I and ODI matches against Pakistan. He made his Test debut in 2013. He was also part of the Indian team that won the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. The International Cricket Council (ICC) even named him in their "Team of the Tournament."

In July 2013, he had his best bowling performance against Sri Lanka. He took four wickets for only eight runs (4/8) in a Tri-Nation tournament. He took the most wickets in that tournament and was named the "Player of the Series."

During India's tour of England in 2014, he set a new personal best in Test matches. He took six wickets for 82 runs (6/82) at Lord's. He was named the "Indian Player of the Series" for his excellent performance.

In February 2018, he achieved a five-wicket haul in a T20I match against South Africa. This means he took five wickets in one game. He was the second Indian bowler to do this in T20Is. In January 2019, he took his 100th wicket in ODIs during a match against Australia.

In April 2019, he was chosen for India's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. However, he missed some matches due to a leg injury. In June 2021, he became India's vice-captain for ODI and T20I matches against Sri Lanka. In September 2021, he was also in India's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

In June 2022, he was again named India's vice-captain for T20I matches against Ireland.

Personal Life

Bhuvneshwar Kumar married Nupur Nagar on 23 November 2017. Their wedding took place in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

They became parents to a baby girl named Acsah on 24 November 2021.