Bhuvneshwar thinking like a batsman

India

Aspiring all-rounder Bhuvneshwar Kumar has insisted a fine stretch of form with the bat has heavily contributed with the ball during India's ongoing Test series against England.

Aspiring all-rounder Bhuvneshwar Kumar has insisted a fine stretch of form with the bat has heavily contributed with the ball during India's ongoing Test series against England.

Kumar struck back-to-back half-centuries – and clinched five key wickets – in the first match at Trent Bridge in Nottingham and secured a telling six-for in the second fixture at Lord's in London.

"If you think like a batsman, you have an upper-hand over the man you're bowling to. All the runs that I have scored here have played a huge role in the way I have bowled. Having batted there for long hours, I know where the batsman will find it difficult to play the ball," Kumar told <i>bcci.tv</i>.

"I can anticipate what is going on in his mind and plan the next ball accordingly. The runs also give you confidence, which gets transformed into courage of conviction when you come on to bowl.

The talented seamer completed superb figures of six for 82 on Saturday, becoming the third Indian bowler to take five or more wickets in an innings at Lord's. Right-armer Praveen Kumar managed the feat in July 2011 – and left-armer Rudra Pratap Singh four years earlier.

"Luckily it has turned out like that. I am happy I was able to keep that little tradition going. It will be good to see my name up on the honours board with my two state mates, RP and Praveen," he added.

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