Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s seasoned seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar believes that with modern T20 batters constantly attacking, bowlers must adopt a defensive, tactical mindset even when the ball swings in the powerplay. Bhuvneshwar returned incredible figures of 3 for 5 and, along with Josh Hazlewood (4/12), wreaked havoc on a bouncy, swinging Kotla pitch to bundle out Delhi Capitals for a paltry 75 in their IPL match here on Monday. RCB overhauled the target in 6.3 overs and with nine wickets in hand.
“The biggest change is that batters no longer hold back, even when the ball is swinging in the powerplay. Earlier, there was more respect for conditions, but now the approach is consistently aggressive.
“That’s where the mindset shift for bowlers becomes important, being defensive isn’t negative, it’s about bowling to a plan and targeting weaknesses,” Bhuvneshwar told JioHotstar.
Bhuvneshwar, who is not part of the Indian team anymore, pointed out that a seamer tends to get aggressive when he notices a bit of assistance from the surface.
“On flat wickets with no assistance, the approach becomes more defensive, not in a negative way, but with the focus on controlling runs and avoiding boundaries, especially against aggressive batters. But when there is some help in the air, the mindset shifts towards being aggressive and looking for wickets,” he said.
“Even if you get a bit of luck with edges or movement, the intent is to keep attacking and create opportunities rather than just containing.” Talking about his and Hazlewood’s brilliant display, Bhuvneshwar said it was all about focussing on the small details.
“A lot of it comes down to preparation and understanding situations. The planning, even down to small details, plays a big role, and having experienced players like Josh Hazlewood helps, because that communication on the field becomes crucial in adapting to conditions.” Bhuvneshwar is considered a master of swing bowling and he attributed his success to red-ball cricket.
“While conditions and the ball do play a role, the basics remain the most important, wrist position, alignment, and control over line and length. For me, playing a lot of red-ball cricket has really helped in mastering those aspects.
“It allows you to repeat your action and maintain consistency. When the ball does swing, it becomes a major advantage for bowlers, and that’s when you look to exploit it as much as possible,” he said.
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