Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India]: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a veteran pacer for the Indian and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), spoke candidly on Wednesday about playing Test cricket under the leadership of star batsman Virat Kohli. He said that his “hunger” permeated the team and that the message was to “do something” on the field rather than “go through the motions.”
In a video released by RCB’s official X account, where he plays with Virat, Bhuvneshwar was heard saying. In 21 Test matches between 2013 and 2018, Bhuvneshwar played for India, capturing 63 wickets at an average of 26.09, with his best numbers being 6/82. Under Virat, he was at his peak, playing nine Test matches and claiming 33 wickets with an economy rate of 2.78 and an average of 22.09. His only Test match to date was the 2018 trip to South Africa, as he fell in the rankings as a result of injuries and the rise of bowlers Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and others under Virat.
Regarding Virat’s selection as Test captain, which began during the 2014–15 Test trip to Australia, Bhuvneshwar said that the star batter’s aggressiveness was ideal for the long format.
“I’ll give Virat credit for the manner he handled his leadership throughout the test. All of the credit for that development goes to Virat. I believe that Virat’s character on the ground is the cause of it. We are all aware that he is violent. And you need that nature somewhere in test cricket,” he said.
Bhuvneshwar said that bowlers are often left “going through the motions” in Test cricket since the ground is flat and batter-friendly for the most part. Virat disagreed.
“A game is played, a session is held, you bowl, the session ends, and you return. However, I believe that Virat’s thirst was for action. We need to do something, not simply go through the motions. Whatever the case, we must create opportunities. I believe that everyone was influenced by Virat’s devotion. After the first and second series, everyone began to think that way. Then everyone agreed that in order to win the matches, we needed to generate opportunities,” he said.
Speaking about Jasprit Bumrah’s debut on the 2018 South Africa tour—which also happens to be Bhuvneshwar’s last Test assignment to date—Buvneshwar said that he brought something special with him.
“Because Umesh is often quick when you consider all of the bowlers, including Ishan, his height, and his bounce. Shami’s seam bowling is particularly noteworthy. The game is team-based. Therefore, the team is unique when everyone’s individuality comes together. Everyone had a lot of experience prior to Bumrah’s debut. Bumrah must have had it easy because of the manner he arrived. Everybody was distinct, special, and excellent, and everyone had experience. Thus, everything came together. The Indian squad was quite strong at the time. Thus, I believe Virat’s thinking was unique,” he said.
By the time he left the job in 2022, his résumé was impressive, and the rest of his coworkers were influenced by his aggressiveness, drive to succeed, and never-say-die mentality. He won 40 of the 68 Test matches, lost only 17, and 11 resulted in a tie. He became the most successful Test captain for India ever with a victory percentage of 58.82. Virat was the fourth-most successful Test captain in history in terms of victories, behind only South Africa’s Graeme Smith (53 victories in 109 games), Australia’s Ricky Ponting (48 victories in 77 games), and Steve Waugh (41 victories in 57 games). Virat is the Asian skipper with the most Test victories.
India won 16 out of 36 Tests away from home when he was captain, five more than Sourav Ganguly (11), who previously held the record for the most away Test victories for India as a captain. India drew six times and lost 14 games away from home under Virat.
Virat won seven of his 23 Test matches, lost 13, and drew only three against South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia (SENA) nations. If Ganguly had taught India how to fight more effectively abroad, Virat went one step further and forced his squad to use bat, ball, or verbal abuse to force their will on their opponents in their own land.
MS Dhoni was Virat’s nearest challenger among his compatriots under SENA circumstances (three SENA victories). Virat won three in England and two in Australia and South Africa, while Dhoni won one each in England, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Under his leadership, India produced and honed a number of excellent fast bowlers, including Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, and Ishant Sharma, who had the skill and conviction to take 20 wickets regardless of the situation or nation. At all costs, Virat chose to play five specialist bowlers since he was unwilling to give his batsmen much leeway.
The Indian squad grabbed 20 wickets on 22 out of 35 potential times while playing away from home under Virat. No previous Indian team headed by Virat has had a bowling average below 30 and a strike rate below 60 combined since 1990. Kohli’s bowlers averaged just around 25 runs per wicket and hit gold every 52 balls.
In contrast, Australia’s all-star bowling attack, led by Ricky Ponting, got wickets every 58 deliveries and averaged 29.9. Under Virat, six bowlers from India claimed 100 or more wickets, with spinner Ravichandran Ashwin leading the pack with 293 scalps. The only player with more wickets under Graeme Smith is Dale Steyn (347).
