Irfan Pathan has stepped forward to help him out with getting better.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's entry to the Indian cricket team was sensational. However, his performance undermines the expectations that were held of him. Fans and team management expected him to perform like the RCB legend he has been for the past two years. Instead, he is taking on the role of a struggling veteran. His position in the team is not guaranteed, and Bhuvi needs to bring his A-game to get another chance.
Lately, Bhuvi's balls are falling on the short length. Moreover, his speed is restricted, and he is unable to bring the swing he is known for. This type of bowling raises a crucial question: What's the use of another dead weight? To aid the Indian pacer, Irfan Pathan has stepped up to suggest some improvements in Bhuvi's overall bowling.
Take the risks and adapt quicker to push away the nervousness
Returning from a four-year hiatus is not easy. Especially for a player who has spent the past few years accustomed to Indian pitches and domestic environments. Now that Bhuvi is in New Zealand, he is having to undertake a completely new challenge.
Not only does Bhuvi need to get his wits in order. He has only one series to understand the Kiwis' pitches and bowls better. In the three matches that he has bowled in, his performance has been increasing linearly. But that just won't do; the growth needs to be exponential.
"What I saw in the first three games is that Bhuvi is slightly shorter. Still a good length, around the 7-7.5 meter mark, but guys like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, they can afford to go slightly more full, depending on the kind of swing he's getting," Irfan Pathan remarks. "What happens when you play after a long period of time? Your mindset becomes slightly defensive."
To get rid of this defensive mindset, Pathan wants Bhuvi to experiment with the ball when it is still new. He wants Bhuvi to let his swing work naturally with the new ball on a fuller length compared to his conservative bowling right now.
Pathan understands that since he is not playing in India, Bhuvi will take some time to adjust. But unfortunately for Bhuvneshwar Kumar and his fans, this T20 series is his only guaranteed spot in the Indian team for now. So whatever needs to happen has to come in the remaining two matches of the five-match series.