Veteran India fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar stands on the cusp of achieving something no fast bowler has ever managed in the history of the Indian Premier League. On Thursday, Bhuvneshwar will become the 12th player in IPL history to reach the landmark, and fellow member of that elite club, Virat Kohli, reserved “remarkable” praise for his teammate.
In the clash against Lucknow Super Giants at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Thursday, Bhuvneshwar will become the 12th player to feature in 200 IPL matches. While all 11 players before him are Indians, none has been a specialist fast bowler. The list includes seven top-order batters, two wicketkeeper-batters and two spin-bowling all-rounders.
Dwayne Bravo is the closest among fast bowlers with 161 appearances, although the former West Indies all-rounder retired from the IPL in 2022. Among active players, Hardik Pandya is next with 160 appearances, followed by Jasprit Bumrah with 155 games.
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Ahead of the LSG clash, Kohli praised Bhuvneshwar’s longevity, intelligence and consistency, even branding him among the top three fast bowlers in IPL history.
“It’s a huge achievement to play 200 IPL games, especially as a fast bowler. That speaks volumes about his longevity and consistency. He has played so much cricket across formats and has remained successful throughout,” Kohli said in a video shared by Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
“The thing that has always stood out about Bhuvi is his understanding of the game and his cricket intelligence. He is definitely among the top three pacers in IPL history. When you look at his economy rate, the wickets he has taken, and the number of dot balls he delivers every match, it is truly remarkable. He is someone you can rely on under pressure every single time,” he added.
A look at Bhuvi’s IPL record
One of India’s premier swing bowlers, effective with both the new and old ball, Bhuvneshwar made his IPL debut in 2011. Across 199 matches, he has picked up 215 wickets and remains the only fast bowler to breach the 200-wicket mark. He currently sits second on the all-time wicket-takers list behind Yuzvendra Chahal, who has 229 wickets.
Bhuvneshwar is a two-time IPL champion, winning his first title with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016 and his second with RCB in 2025. He is also the only bowler to win consecutive Purple Caps, claiming 23 wickets in 2016 and 26 in 2017. In addition, he holds the IPL record for most dot balls bowled — 1793.
Bhuvneshwar joined RCB for INR 10.75 crore ahead of last season, where he picked up 17 wickets to help the franchise lift its maiden IPL title. This season, he has already matched that tally in just nine games, operating at an economy rate of 7.54 while currently holding the Purple Cap.