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Bhuvneshwar Kumar not resting on laurels, will be in the frame for T20 World Cup in Australia: Sunil Gavaskar
India Today
Bhuvneshwar Kumar looked ordinary in the ODIs in South Africa but the pacer has returned to form and is in contention for a spot in India's T20 World Cup squad, according to Sunil Gavaskar.
Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar said Bhuvneshwar Kumar will likely be in the frame for T20 World Cup 20222 in Australia, adding the senior pacer worked hard to recover from a recent slump in form. The former captain said Bhuvneshwar did not rest on his laurels but worked his way to get back into the reckoning.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up 2 wickets and conceded just 9 runs in his 2-over spell in the first T20I against Sri Lanka on Thursday. The senior pacer was in fine form in the T20I series against the West Indies, being miserly in the 2 matches he played.
Bhuvneshwar has been able to improve his pace and trouble the opposition with swing after looking flat in the ODI series in South Africa where he was taken to the cleaners. The senior pacer was also dropped from the side during the T20 World Cup following a string of poor performances. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has picked up just 9 wickets in 7 ODIs in the last two years but the recent return to form shows the work he has put in, according to Gavaskar.
"He is again making a point. Yes, he had a pretty ordinary series in South Africa. But he has come back well. Again, look at the competition, nobody can take his place for granted. He has been a senior bowler for such a long time, the moment he slipped a little bit and questions were asked about him, he has picked himself up," Gavaskar told Star Sports.
"He hasn't gone into a shell, thinking 'oh what is going to happen?'. He has worked harder, he has looked at his bowling and he is trying to get better with every passing day. And that's what is important. He is not resting on his laurels. He is saying with the extra pace and the bounce that I will get in Australia, he will in the frame," he added.
Bhuvneshwar faces stiff competition as India have plenty of opinions in the pace-bowling department for the T20 World Cup. With the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur putting their hand up with consistent performances, India will be looking at options to pair with Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.
India managed to restrict Sri Lanka to 137/6 in the first T20I after posting 199 on the board, thanks to Ishan Kishan's match-winning 89. The two teams will meet in the 2nd ODI in Dharamsala on Saturday.