'Bowler can control the game': Bhuvneshwar Kumar on T20 cricket's batting boom and six-hitting revolution
toi
newspoint|28-10-2026
With T20 cricket increasingly defined by aggressive batting , shorter boundaries and relentless scoring, the margin for error for bowlers has become slimmer than ever. However, veteran India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar believes that quality bowling and adaptability can still make a decisive difference, insisting that the format is not entirely tilted in favour of batters.
The 36-year-old, who has returned to India's international setup after nearly four years, shared his views following India's victory in the third T20I. Bhuvneshwar earned his comeback on the back of impressive performances in the IPL, where he has adapted his skills to meet the evolving demands of the shortest format.
'A bowler can control the game'
"I know that the margin of error is very low, which we generally talk about. But still, a bowler can land the ball wherever he wants to. I strongly believe that a bowler can control the game," Bhuvneshwar told reporters.
Bhuvneshwar acknowledged that modern T20 cricket offers several advantages to batters, including smaller boundaries and an increasingly aggressive approach. However, he maintained that bowlers who execute their plans and adapt quickly can still dictate the course of a match.
"This is a debatable question. We say that the conditions favour the batters nowadays and all that, but I still believe that a bowler can control the game. The reason is that we feed the ball to the batter," he said.
"There are small boundaries. Everything is given to the batters. But still, a bowler is the one who feeds the ball to the batter. Then it's up to the batter what he wants to play, whether he wants to play according to the ball or not."
"But still, if you look at the good bowlers, they are still doing well. They are consistent. Even if the game is not equal, the bowler adapts quickly. We've seen it in IPL, we've seen it here as well," he added.
Bhuvneshwar not looking too far ahead after India comeback
Despite returning to the international setup after a prolonged absence, Bhuvneshwar is not looking too far ahead in his career. The experienced pacer said he intends to continue playing domestic cricket and focus on performing consistently rather than setting long-term international targets.
"It is great to be playing for India again but I am not thinking too much about the future. I will continue to play domestic cricket, whether it is Mushtaq Ali or Vijay Hazare," he said.
Bhuvneshwar also credited his performances in the IPL over the past two years for opening the door to his return, adding that he had not actively chased an India comeback even though representing the country had always remained his dream.
"I did not chase this (playing for India again) though it was always the dream. Credit goes to my performances in the IPL over the past two years," he added.
'Batters are looking to hit every ball'
Bhuvneshwar also highlighted the changing mindset of batters , noting that modern players are increasingly unwilling to ease off even after scoring quickly at the start of an over. He recalled how batters previously tended to consolidate after striking a few boundaries, whereas the current generation continues to attack throughout the innings.
"Earlier, somewhere there was a thinking that as runs have come in the first couple of balls, let's go easy in the remaining over. But now it is not like that. Batters are looking to hit every ball," he said.
"There is one ball. There are two balls. There are six balls. Credit should be given to this generation for playing fearlessly," Bhuvneshwar added.
The 36-year-old, who has returned to India's international setup after nearly four years, shared his views following India's victory in the third T20I. Bhuvneshwar earned his comeback on the back of impressive performances in the IPL, where he has adapted his skills to meet the evolving demands of the shortest format.
'A bowler can control the game'
"I know that the margin of error is very low, which we generally talk about. But still, a bowler can land the ball wherever he wants to. I strongly believe that a bowler can control the game," Bhuvneshwar told reporters.
Bhuvneshwar acknowledged that modern T20 cricket offers several advantages to batters, including smaller boundaries and an increasingly aggressive approach. However, he maintained that bowlers who execute their plans and adapt quickly can still dictate the course of a match.
"This is a debatable question. We say that the conditions favour the batters nowadays and all that, but I still believe that a bowler can control the game. The reason is that we feed the ball to the batter," he said.
"There are small boundaries. Everything is given to the batters. But still, a bowler is the one who feeds the ball to the batter. Then it's up to the batter what he wants to play, whether he wants to play according to the ball or not."
"But still, if you look at the good bowlers, they are still doing well. They are consistent. Even if the game is not equal, the bowler adapts quickly. We've seen it in IPL, we've seen it here as well," he added.
Bhuvneshwar not looking too far ahead after India comeback
Despite returning to the international setup after a prolonged absence, Bhuvneshwar is not looking too far ahead in his career. The experienced pacer said he intends to continue playing domestic cricket and focus on performing consistently rather than setting long-term international targets.
"It is great to be playing for India again but I am not thinking too much about the future. I will continue to play domestic cricket, whether it is Mushtaq Ali or Vijay Hazare," he said.
Bhuvneshwar also credited his performances in the IPL over the past two years for opening the door to his return, adding that he had not actively chased an India comeback even though representing the country had always remained his dream.
"I did not chase this (playing for India again) though it was always the dream. Credit goes to my performances in the IPL over the past two years," he added.
'Batters are looking to hit every ball'
Bhuvneshwar also highlighted the changing mindset of batters , noting that modern players are increasingly unwilling to ease off even after scoring quickly at the start of an over. He recalled how batters previously tended to consolidate after striking a few boundaries, whereas the current generation continues to attack throughout the innings.
"Earlier, somewhere there was a thinking that as runs have come in the first couple of balls, let's go easy in the remaining over. But now it is not like that. Batters are looking to hit every ball," he said.
"There is one ball. There are two balls. There are six balls. Credit should be given to this generation for playing fearlessly," Bhuvneshwar added.
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