Legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble said that experienced fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had the ideal solution in hand to outwit the Delhi Capitals (DC) hitters during the team’s six-wicket victory to take the lead in the IPL 2025 points standings.

Bhuvneshwar gave up eight runs in his last two overs and took 3-33 in his four overs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday. He also gave up 25 runs in his first two overs but made effective use of his slower deliveries to capture three wickets: of KL Rahul, Ashutosh Sharma, and Tristan Stubbs.

As a bowler, he has always been really unique. Regardless of the side he has played for, he consistently takes wickets in the powerplay, has mastered the back end techniques, and is a reliable player. It’s rare to see a game when the hitters put pressure on him after getting under him.

“He bowled the ideal second spell on a wicket like this. the pivotal KL Rahul wicket. The plan was likely to take it deep, then target the quicker bowlers and concentrate on the last three or four overs, making the most of those four overs, KL Rahul. “And Bhuvi had the ideal response,” Kumble said on ESPNCricinfo.

Bhuvneshwar, who last represented India in 2022, has taken 12 wickets at an economy rate of 8.35 in nine IPL 2025 games. Former India batsman Wasim Jaffer went on to discuss what keeps a seasoned player like Bhuvneshwar relevant in the league.

“I believe that he has two or three variants. The yorker is perfect, and Bhuvi bowls with a hard-length delivery that shocks the batters and almost never provides any breadth.

He employs the knuckleball since the hitters often anticipate yorkers or maybe a slower ball. He thus has two or three excellent variants. And lining Bhuvi up (thinking) that he would just bowl this delivery is very difficult,” he said.