Didn't Realise Importance Of Adding Pace In My Bowling During Formative Years: Bhuvneshwar Kumar

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Indian fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has revealed that he never realised the importance of adding pace to his bowling in his early years but once he did, it helped him maintain the swing that keeps the batsmen guessing. 

“To be honest, first couple of years I didn’t realise pace is something that needs to be added,” Kumar said in a video posted by his IPL team SunRisers Hyderabad(SRH). 

“As I kept playing, I realised with swing I need to improve my pace because bowling in late 120kph or just 130kph, batsmen were adjusting to the swing. So, I wanted to increase the pace, but I didn’t know how to do it…," he added. 

“Fortunately, I was able to improve the pace and that really helped me in the later stages. So yes, when you have pace, not the express 140-plus, but bowling in the mid-130kph helps maintaining that swing and keep the batsman guessing,” said the 31-year-old who has taken 63 wickets in 21 Tests, 138 and 45 scalps in 117 ODIs, and 48 T20Is so far in his international career. 

One of the major factors which have affected Bhuvneshwar Kumar's career is his injuries which have kept him away from test cricket for the last three years. Although he has made his comeback in the limited-overs format, however, his lack of match practice in the longer format was the reason Bhuvneshwar was not considered for India's tour to England - a place that assists the swing bowlers best.