Bhuvneshwar Kumar Makes Huge Claim About Virat Kohli And Ravi Shastri's Test Legacy

Bhuvneshwar Kumar Makes Huge Claim About Virat Kohli And Ravi Shastri [Source: AFP]

In a big revelation, Indian swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar praised Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri for bringing a revolution in Test cricket during their time as captain and head coach. He revealed how the duo’s vision changed fast bowling culture in India forever.

Kohli and Shastri worked together for almost five years, and during that phase, the Indian Test team saw a steep rise. They stayed at the top of the standings for consecutive years and retained the Test mace as well until the introduction of the World Test Championship (WTC).

Bhuvneshwar Kumar credits Kohli-Shastri for Test success

Interestingly, Indian fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar shared an interesting insight on the team's culture during that phase where Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri worked together as captain and coach.

In a recent podcast with RCB, Kumar said that India usually preferred playing on spin-friendly pitches at home in red-ball cricket. Hence, fast bowlers often struggled to prepare for overseas conditions. 

"A lot of credit goes to Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri for fast bowling transition in Indian cricket. When Indian pitches favoured spin, during that period they had a clear vision for fast bowlers," Kumar said.

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But according to Bhuvneshwar, Kohli and Shastri changed that culture. They came in with a long-term vision to improve the team’s fast bowling standards and began vouching for fast-bowling-friendly wickets in home Tests.

"Even our home Test matches we were played on pitches that helped fast bowlers, simply to prepare us for overseas tours. That showed their vision, they were about building a pace attack," he added.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar believes that these small decisions had a huge impact on Indian cricket and brought a revolution in the red-ball format for pacers like him.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar hails IPL’s contribution

Apart from praising Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri, Bhuvneshwar Kumar also thanked the IPL for providing exposure to young fast bowlers to face some of the toughest batters in the world.

He added that the tournament allows raw talent to learn from international players and coaches, which eventually shapes their future. 

"The IPL deserves a lot of credit because it exposed so many talented fast bowlers to high-level cricket. You bring them to the setup, and they mature over time."

As for his own success, Bhuvneshwar Kumar played a key role in RCB’s second title victory in IPL 2026 by picking 28 wickets to become the team’s leading wicket-taker of the season.

Will Bhuvneshwar make a comeback for India?

Having said that, despite possessing a glorious portfolio as a successful swing bowler, Bhuvneshwar Kumar finds himself out of the national setup. He last played for India in 2022. His last Test was in 2018 against South Africa.

However, after Kumar’s recent IPL success, talks of his potential comeback have heated up. Critics like Ravichandran Ashwin want him in the mix of India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

But personally, Bhuvenshwar Kumar isn’t too worried. He feels that playing for India is a milestone he has achieved and hence, there is nothing left to prove. His current goal is to stay disciplined and continue to play just for the love of the game.

Still, when a comeback opportunity comes knocking on his door, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is ready to grab it with both hands.

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