Former Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane believes Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s performance should not be judged or over analyzed by experts. Kumar is playing for India after a long gap of four years and he hasn’t been able to hit the ground running against New Zealand.
Kumar returned with figures of 0-40 in his quota of four overs against the Kiwis in the third T20I. The veteran seamer’s pace was down and he also failed to swing the ball. In the first two games of the series, Kumar had taken a solitary wicket and also proved expensive.
The UP seamer has conceded his runs at an economy rate of 11.58 in the series so far.
Ajinkya Rahane said on his YouTube Channel, “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. As far as his performances are concerned, ups and downs are part of the game. Sometimes, as a bowler, you may not find your rhythm, but that is no reason to write him off. Bhuvneshwar Kumar would certainly know what he could have done better.
“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. Keep doing your job, and things will eventually fall into place. You never know; he could take five wickets in the next match, and things could change immediately. Bhuvneshwar is a bowler who certainly reflects on his game, but he is also confident in his abilities and is a confident person overall,” he added.
On the other hand, Arshdeep Singh returned with figures of 1-33 in his quota of four overs in the third game. Rahane praised Singh for his impressive rhythm.
“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. He is a very important player for the Indian team. He has played more than 100 T20Is and is approaching the 150-wicket mark.”
The fourth T20I between India and New Zealand will be played at Eden Park, Auckland, on Friday.
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