Bhuvneshwar Kumar eyes Test return after remarkable comeback in ODIs, targets Eng tour

Setting eyes on a return to the longest format of the game after a remarkable comeback in white-ball cricket, speedster Bhuvneshwar Kumar has said that red-ball cricket is on his 'radar'. Kumar, who had been missing from the Indian squad after an injury in the IPL 2020, returned to the white-ball fold for the England series which the Men in Blue won. Adding that his workload management and training during the IPL will be with the England Test series later this year in hindsight, Kumar asserted that red-ball cricket is his priority. 

“Of course, red-ball cricket is on my radar. I will prepare to keep the red ball in mind. Although what kind of team will be selected for Test matches is an entirely different scenario," Kumar said in the post-match press conference after India's victory on Sunday. 

'Will do everything to get ready'

“My workload management and training during IPL will be keeping the red ball in mind because I know there’s a lot of Tests ahead and my priority still is Test cricket. So from my end, I will do everything to get ready for the Test series,” he added. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar last played a Test match for India in January 2018 in South Africa. Following that he skipped the Test series in England due to an injury and wasn’t picked in any Test in Australia that year. He was ruled out of the recent Australia tour as well after sustaining another injury in IPL 2020. However, the speedster made an impressive comeback, as he led the Indian pace attack in the recently concluded ODI series. In the first ODI, Kumar picked 2 wickets off his 9 overs and one wicket in the second ODI. In the third and final ODI, Kumar picked 3 wickets off his 10 overs and remained economical throughout the series. 

India clinch last-ball thriller 

India were once again asked to bat first after the coin landed in favour of stand-in-captain Jos Buttler on Sunday afternoon. The hosts got off to a brisk start as openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan added 103 runs before losing a couple more wickets after adding 14 runs before Pandya and Pant carried out the rescue act.

In response, England lost their openers quickly as Bhuvneshwar Kumar let the ball do the talking once again after returning from an injury. Just when Ben Stokes and Dawid Malan looked to stitch a significant partnership, Natarajan's over-pitched delivery bagged the wicket of the star all-rounder while Thakur picked three quick wickets. It was then youngster Sam Curran who played a brave knock of 95 runs taking the match to the very last breath. Despite his valiant effort, Curran failed to take England over the line as the Hardik Pandya and Natarajan bowled tight last overs. India won the match by 7 runs, thereby winning the ODI series 2-1. 

Image Credits: BCCI