Josh Hazlewood Compares Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Starc and Cummins
A New Partnership Leading the Pace Attack
In the high-stakes environment of the Indian Premier League, the chemistry between pace bowlers can often define a team’s success. For Australian legend Josh Hazlewood, playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru has provided a unique opportunity to form a lethal partnership with Indian veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Far from feeling the absence of his long-time Australian teammates Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, Hazlewood has found a comparable level of synergy and tactical awareness in Kumar.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been in sensational form this season, currently sitting atop the Purple Cap standings with an impressive 22 wickets in just 12 matches. His ability to move the ball early in the innings and maintain sublime accuracy has solidified his reputation as one of the most dangerous new-ball bowlers in world cricket.
The Dynamics of a Balanced Attack
Hazlewood, a master of seam and bounce, believes that the contrast in styles between himself and Kumar is what makes their partnership so effective. While Kumar excels at pitching the ball up and extracting movement through the air, Hazlewood focuses on hitting the seam to generate difficult bounce for the batters. This blend of styles mimics the environment he is accustomed to when donning the Australian jersey.
Reflecting on this, Hazlewood noted, “It’s a little bit like bowling with Patty and Starcy for Australia. Bhuvi probably pitches it up a little more and swings the ball. I can hit the seam and get a bit of bounce. It’s nice to have balance in your attack.” This tactical variety ensures that opposing batters never get comfortable, as the bowlers constantly ask different questions of them throughout the power play and the death overs.
The Art of Resilience in T20 Cricket
Beyond the statistics, Hazlewood brings a profound understanding of the mental toughness required to survive on modern, batting-friendly pitches. T20 cricket can be brutal for fast bowlers, particularly when the opposition is in a dominant mood. However, Hazlewood prides himself on the ability to bounce back from a difficult start.
“If you’re bowling on a flat wicket and go for 2 for 40 while everyone else goes for 50 or 60, I think those are the satisfying games,” he explained. He further emphasized that the mark of a true competitor is the ability to adapt during a match, stating, “When the batting side is dominant and your first over goes for 20, and then you fight back with yorkers or changes of pace and finish with decent figures, those are the games I’m probably most proud of.”
Comprehensive Team Strategy
Hazlewood also highlighted the importance of a well-rounded bowling unit. A successful bowling attack requires more than just one or two stars; it needs a variety of angles and skill sets to keep the batting side guessing. He pointed out that the current RCB setup feels remarkably well-covered in every department.
The inclusion of bowlers like Rasikh Salam, who provides a crucial left-arm angle, alongside a diverse spin attack featuring leg-spin and left-arm orthodox options, gives the side a level of versatility that mirrors the depth of the Australian national team. As Hazlewood succinctly put it, “Every base is covered. If you’ve got three bowlers of the same style, the batter can get a pretty good read on what’s happening. Different skills and different styles make it harder.”
With this level of tactical maturity and a bowling group that is firing on all cylinders, the combination of Hazlewood’s international experience and Kumar’s consistent brilliance remains one of the most compelling narratives of the current IPL season. For cricket fans, watching these two masters of the craft work in tandem offers a masterclass in pace bowling strategy and execution.
