5 Indian players who used the Champions Trophy as a launchpad

#5 Bhuvneshwar Kumar: ICC Champions Trophy, 2013

During the ICC Champions Trophy 2013, Bhuvneshwar Kumar pocketed 6 wickets at 22.83

The primary reason for Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s ascent has been his accuracy with the new ball, irrespective of the format. That swinging the new ball both ways is his USP was there for all to see on his debut in 2012, when he claimed 3/9 in a T20 game and castled Mohammed Hafeez first ball with a beauty of an inswinger on his ODI debut.

Bhuvneshwar has ripped open the top orders of quite a few batting line-ups, and like some of his teammates, used the platform of a Champions Trophy game to make the opponents feel the heat. While in England during the 2013 tournament, Bhuvneshwar swung the ball beautifully and pocketed 6 wickets at 22.83. When India toured England in 2014, Bhuvneshwar was India’s Man of the Series in the Tests for snaring 19 wickets at 26.63 and being effective with the bat by garnering 247 runs.

Among other achievements, Bhuvneshwar became the first bowler to dismiss the greatest batsman of his era Sachin Tendulkar for a maiden first-class duck when he was not even 20. Not to put into oblivion, he has it in him to hang on with the bat and guide the tail. If only he can persist with his skills in the coming years, Bhuvneshwar can prove to be a very valuable asset for India, most markedly, in swinging and seaming conditions.