Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been one of India’s most dependable bowlers since his debut against Pakistan in 2012 and has been an integral member of the team’s success since. 

India’s premier exponent of swing bowling, Bhuvneshwar made his international debut in a Twenty20 International match against Pakistan on December 25, 2012 and featured in a One Day International for the first time five days later against the same opponents. 

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Bhuvneshwar has a total of 236 international wickets in 178 matches across formats. Injuries have plagued ‘Bhuvi’ throughout his career and his is currently out of the squad for the Test series against England with a thigh injury, sustained during the Indian Premier League (IPL) last year. 

Here is a look at a few of Bhuvneshwar’s notable achievements as he turns 31 today:

1. Dismissing Sachin Tendulkar for a duck in domestic cricket

‘Master Blaster’ Sachin Tendulkar has recorded many ducks in international cricket, being dismissed without scoring 20 times in ODI cricket itself. 

But Bhuvneshwar is the only bowler to have dismissed him for a duck in domestic cricket, doing so in a Ranji Trophy match. 

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2. First Indian with five-wicket hauls in all three formats

Bhuvneshwar is the first Indian bowler to record five-wicket hauls in Test, ODI and T20I cricket, achieving the feat in 2018 with his maiden fifer in T20Is against South Africa (5/24). 

His first five-wicket haul in Tests came in the 2014 tour to England, returning figures of 5/82 in the Nottingham Test. His only fifer in ODIs came in 2017 against Sri Lanka (5/42).

3. Only Indian with multiple IPL Purple Caps

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a two-time Purple Cap winner, given to the highest-wicket taker, in the Indian Premier League (IPL), both coming with the Sunrisers Hyderabad, in 2016 and 2017. 

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He is also the seventh-highest wicket taker in IPL, with 136 scalps from 121 matches. 

4. Man of the Series winner against England in 2014

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was at his versatile best during India’s tour to England in 2014. Exploiting the swing-friendly conditions to the fullest, he finished as the joint second-highest wicket taker with 19 scalps. 

He also scored 247 runs as India’s number nine, including three fifties and starred in the famous win at the Lord’s Cricket Ground with a fifty and his career-best figures of 6/82. 

Although India lost the series 1-3, Bhuvneshwar was adjudged Man of the Series.