Bhuvneshwar Kumar Joins Elite Wicket-Taking Club in IPL 2025
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Makes History in IPL 2025
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 3: Veteran fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has made a significant mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, becoming the joint-highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers after his impressive performance for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Gujarat Titans.
In a challenging match at RCB's home ground, Rajat Patdiar faced his first loss as captain. The Titans successfully chased down the 170-run target, securing a commanding eight-wicket victory.
Despite the defeat, RCB found some silver linings, particularly in Bhuvneshwar's outstanding bowling. He completed his four-over spell, taking the crucial wicket of GT captain Shubman Gill and finishing with figures of 1/23.
Although his efforts did not lead to a win, Bhuvneshwar's performance was historic. He equaled Dwayne Bravo's record of 183 wickets, achieving this in 178 matches compared to Bravo's 161.
In the all-time IPL wicket-takers list, Bhuvneshwar now ranks third, trailing only Yuzvendra Chahal (206) and Piyush Chawla (192).
Known as the 'Prince of Swing', Bhuvneshwar showcased his exceptional skills, maintaining an impressive economy rate of 5.80.
RCB's task of defending 170 runs was daunting, especially given the high-scoring reputation of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. While RCB struggled to adapt, Gujarat demonstrated an effective strategy for playing away games.
After Bhuvneshwar's early breakthrough, RCB's hopes dwindled as Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler formed a solid 75-run partnership for the second wicket, crippling RCB's defense. Josh Hazlewood eventually broke the partnership by dismissing Sudharsan.
However, the damage was already done. Sherfane Rutherford was introduced as an impact substitute to help seal the victory for GT. In the 18th over, Buttler and Rutherford delivered the final blows, with Buttler hitting two consecutive boundaries followed by Rutherford's powerful shot over the deep backward square fence to conclude the match in style.