We Can Clearly See That Bhuvneshwar Kumar Is Not At The Peak Of His Fitness – Sanjay Manjrekar

Former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar believes that star Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar is not at the peak of his fitness in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 United Arab Emirates (UAE) leg.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is regarded as one of the most successful pacers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and he is the only bowler to win the purple cap back-to-back in two consecutive IPL seasons (2016 & 2017) and he is one of the two bowlers to win become the leading wicket-taker of the tournament twice.

The 31-year-old was not fully fit in the first half of the IPL 2021 and missed some matches due to a niggle. Meanwhile, in the UAE leg, he has managed to scalp only 2 wickets in four games for the Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad.

In Sri Lanka, It Seemed Like Bhuvneshwar Kumar Not A Hundred Percent Fit – Sanjay Manjrekar

Talking about the ace Indian pacer on ESPNcricinfo, Sanjay Manjrekar stated that Bhuvneshwar looked in prime form in England series at home. However, in the Sri Lanka limited-overs series, it looked like he is not a hundred per cent fit.

“When Bhuvi made his comeback during the home series against England, he was giving assurances that he’s back in his prime form again. But, then in Sri Lanka, it seemed like he’s not a hundred percent fit.”

The 56-year old further opined that Bhuvneshwar’s speed has dipped a little bit. He elaborated:

“Again, in the ongoing IPL, we can clearly see that he’s not at the peak of his fitness. This is the only for his underwhelming form currently because you can’t criticize him for his bowling. His speed has dipped a bit now. Trent Boult is in a similar situation, where his pace has also taken a hit.”

Also, Bhuvneshwar Kumar played his 100th game for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) franchise in the match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday, October 3. Bhuvi had a decent outing as he bowled an economical spell but failed to bag any wicket. However, in the end, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won the game by six wickets to bag two crucial points.

Also Read: It Was Important To Assess The Wicket – Shubman Gill After Winning Man Of The Match Award Against SRH