'No reason to write him off' - Ajinkya Rahane backs Bhuvneshwar Kumar to bounce back in the tour

Indian veteran bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar's return to the Indian setup is not going as planned who has conceded more than 40 runs in each of the three games against New Zealand and has picked only one wicket. Former Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane advised everyone not to overanalyse his performance and there was no reason to drop him.

He urged that people should appreciate Bhuvneshwar for his comeback and not focus much on his performance in the tour. The right-arm pacer showed some good signs with decent swing and troubling the batters with the new ball but not as effective as expected.

“I don’t think we should judge him or overthink how he has bowled. He is an experienced player and would certainly reflect on where he fell short and what he could have done better. As far as his performances are concerned, ups and downs are part of the game. Sometimes, as a bowler, you may not find your rhythm, but that is no reason to write him off. Bhuvneshwar Kumar would certainly know what he could have done better,” Rahane said on his YouTube channel.

“For me, the biggest story is that he has made a comeback at this age. We should learn from this that, as a bowler, you must never give up. Keep doing your job, and things will eventually fall into place. You never know; he could take five wickets in the next match, and things could change immediately. Bhuvneshwar is a bowler who certainly reflects on his game, but he is also confident in his abilities and is a confident person overall,” he added.

How well did Arshdeep perform on the tour?

Rahane praised left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh’s performance in the series picking up crucial wickets at right times.

“Talking about Arshdeep, he looked in very good form and displayed a great rhythm. He picked up wickets in the powerplay, both in the previous match and in the third T20I. He is a very important player for the Indian team. He has played more than 100 T20Is and is approaching the 150-wicket mark,” Rahane concluded.