Indian cricket has produced some brilliant swing bowlers over the decades. Bhuvneshwar Kumar stands among the finest pacers the country ever developed. He swings the new ball beautifully in powerplay overs. His death bowling has saved countless matches. Experience and skill make him invaluable even today.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: The Swing Master
Bhuvneshwar Kumar started his IPL journey way back in 2011. Fourteen years later, he’s still going remarkably strong. He’s played 190 IPL matches across these years. Those games brought him 198 precious wickets in total.
The Purple Cap came to him twice during his career. That award goes to each season’s highest wicket-taker. His 2017 season remains legendary among bowling performances ever. He grabbed 26 wickets at an average of 14.19 that year. Best figures of 5/19 came during that brilliant campaign.
International cricket knows his quality too by now. Nearly 300 wickets sit beside his name across formats. India’s T20I side relied heavily on him for years.
His IPL Price Details
Sunrisers Hyderabad was his home for many IPL seasons. The 2025 mega auction brought massive changes though. Royal Challengers Bengaluru bid ₹10.75 crore for him. That price secured his services for them successfully.
The amount reflects his experience and proven track record. Quality Indian pacers rarely become available in auctions nowadays. His IPL price stayed the same for 2026 after retention. RCB invested heavily in his leadership and bowling expertise.
Bowlers who excel in powerplay and death overs cost premium money. Bhuvi does both jobs brilliantly still.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar IPL Team Impact
Bhuvneshwar Kumar moved to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the 2025 season. His new IPL team needed stability in their bowling department. They’d struggled finding consistent pacers for years before him. He brought that much-needed experience immediately to their attack.
The franchise won its first championship in 2025. His 17 wickets helped them tremendously throughout that campaign. The average of 28.41 shows he always bowled economically. His IPL team valued his calm presence during tight situations.
Young bowlers learn constantly from watching him operate daily. His swing bowling techniques inspire the next generation everywhere.
Career Numbers Speak Volumes
Bhuvi averages 27.33 across his IPL career overall. His economy rate reads 7.69 which seems brilliant. Strike rate of 21.32 means he grabs wickets regularly. Two five-wicket hauls highlight his best bowling performances clearly.
His 2016 season also brought 23 wickets at an average of 21.30. Consistency across seasons separates great bowlers from good ones. Teams trust him completely in any match situation. Expect more swing and guile from him in 2026.
