India's fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar marked his entry into the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, his new franchise in the Indian Premier League, by achieving a remarkable hat-trick during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Leading the Uttar Pradesh team, Bhuvneshwar delivered outstanding bowling figures of 3/6 against Jharkhand, securing three wickets in consecutive deliveries to help his team clinch a 10-run victory. Notably, this achievement was highlighted by Bhuvneshwar's execution of a triple wicket-maiden over.

As Jharkhand pursued a target of 161 runs, Bhuvneshwar took to the bowling crease in the 17th over, where he dismissed Robin Minz, Bal Krishna, and Vivekanand Tiwari with his first three deliveries. He concluded the over with three additional dot balls, thereby completing a maiden over. His teammates, Nitish Rana and Mohsin Khan, also contributed significantly by taking two wickets each, aiding Uttar Pradesh in overcoming Anukul Roy's impressive score of 91. Despite this victory, Uttar Pradesh currently finds itself in sixth place in Group B, accumulating 8 points.

Bhuvneshwar, who has now increased his wicket tally to 9 in the tournament, was acquired by Royal Challengers Bengaluru two weeks prior during the 2025 IPL mega-auction held in Jeddah. After a decade-long tenure with Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he was a key figure in India's pace attack, Bhuvneshwar's association with the franchise came to an end when he was released. However, as the saying goes, when one opportunity closes, another one opens. For Bhuvneshwar, this new opportunity was presented by RCB, who invested ₹10.75 crore to secure his services.

Bhuvneshwar fans in overdrive

Prior to this achievement, Bhuvneshwar had recently recorded another impressive performance, taking three wickets for 28 runs against Haryana. However, his hat trick on Thursday ignited a wave of excitement online, as fans expressed their delight at witnessing the return of their beloved Indian swing bowler, reminiscent of his earlier days. Indeed, there were calls from some supporters urging the selectors to arrange for Bhuvneshwar to be sent to Australia on the next available flight.

Here are some of the posts:

Bhuvneshwar Kumar's most recent appearance for the Indian national team occurred against India in Napier in November 2022, shortly following the T20 World Cup. It has been more than two years since he rejoined the national squad. Various factors have contributed to this absence, including injuries and a decline in form. Nevertheless, Bhuvneshwar consistently participates in the Indian Premier League each year, showcasing his skills. In the previous season, he secured 16 wickets across 14 matches, and this year, he has taken 11 wickets during Sunrisers Hyderabad's journey to the final.

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