Bhuvneshwar Kumar finally resumed bowling duties for the Indian team during the first T20I against New Zealand after almost a four-year absence. During the high-scoring clash at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, the right-arm pacer bowled well in his first over, swinging the ball to trouble the aggressive Kiwi opening duo and conceding just four runs. However, he eventually finished with figures of 0/49 in four overs.
Hanuma Vihari believes that the no-ball that Bhuvneshwar bowled in his second over was the turning point in his spell, and the veteran pacer couldn't recover from it. That over went for 17 runs, and things went downhill from that point for the 36-year-old. However, Vihari urged fans and experts to give Bhuvneshwar a little more time to get into his groove.
"Everyone was waiting for his comeback. The first over was fabulous. He beat Seifert with an outswinger. He bowled in the right areas. But that no-ball in the second over changed everything for him," Vihari said on his YouTube channel.
"That over was expensive and maybe he lost some confidence from there on. Not a comeback we anticipated. But it's okay. He is playing after a long time. Give him a couple of games. We know what he can do when he gets into that rhythm. He is experienced and he will correct it. After all, he is also human," he added.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's opening over showed promise
Bhuvneshwar's final figures for the match read 0/49 across four overs. The lack of wickets, combined with the runs conceded, reflected a difficult outing for the experienced bowler on his return to the international stage after such a prolonged absence.
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While each bowler faced challenges during the high-scoring encounter, Vihari was particularly impressed by the performance of Nitish Kumar Reddy. The all-rounder's figures of 0/40 in four overs demonstrated his efforts in tough bowling conditions, and Vihari noted that completing his full quota of overs proved to be a significant positive for the Indian team.
"Everyone was expensive. I thought Nitish was the best bowler. There is no bias. When he came into the attack, it was a difficult phase," Vihari said.
"The batters were set. He bowled the important overs, and I thought he bowled terrifically well. His pace was decent, and he bowled four overs, so credit to him," he added.
