Bhuvneshwar Kumar has spent years mastering the art of making life difficult for batters. But when it came to picking his jersey number, the India pacer had a different calculation to make.

There was a logic behind his choice. The number had to add up to six.

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“I wanted the total to add up to six, because I had tried several numbers, including 15, but they were already taken by other players. This was the only number left that added up to six, so I think that’s why I picked it. I’m also used to seeing the number 15,” Bhuvneshwar said.

It was an unusual little detail from a bowler whose game has been built around precision, discipline and an ability to find the right length when batters are looking to attack. Yet, the number was not the only thing that took some getting used to.

Bhuvneshwar revealed that having his surname printed on the back of his jersey was also an adjustment.

“I didn’t even have Kumar on my jersey initially. It took me a while to get used to the fact that this was my jersey and that I was going to wear it,” he said.

A CHANGING GAME

Beyond the personal details, Bhuvneshwar has also been watching the game change around him. The IPL, in particular, has played a significant role in his evolution as a cricketer, especially as the balance between bat and ball continues to shift.

“I’ve evolved a lot, and I think the IPL has played a huge role in that,” he said.

The introduction of the Impact Player rule has further encouraged batters to take the aggressive route, with many looking to attack from the first delivery. For bowlers, that has meant constantly adapting to a game in which conventional benchmarks are being challenged.

Bhuvneshwar, however, does not believe bowlers should simply accept that they are at the mercy of attacking batters.

“I know the Impact Player rule is there, but it has opened up the mindset of batters considerably. They go after the ball from the very first delivery. However, I’ve always believed that we tend to treat bowlers as victims, but they aren’t,” he said.

“As a bowler, you can control the game and make batters hit where you want them to.”

It is a perspective shaped by experience. Bhuvneshwar has operated across formats and through different phases of T20 cricket, witnessing how the demands on bowlers have grown as batting strategies have become more aggressive.

For him, the answer lies in understanding the contest differently rather than conceding that the format belongs to batters.

“I think it’s just a matter of perspective and understanding what we need to do as bowlers,” he said.

WHEN 200 ISN'T ENOUGH

The numbers tell their own story. Scores that once seemed imposing have increasingly become targets that teams believe they can chase, particularly in T20 cricket. The shift is not restricted to franchise competitions, either.

“There’s no doubt that the game has evolved significantly over the last four years. And it’s not just franchise cricket; international cricket has evolved too,” Bhuvneshwar said.

“The way scores are being made now, 200 has almost become a par score. You feel that even 200 isn’t enough sometimes. But yes, the game has evolved with time.”

For a bowler who has built his career on movement, control and the ability to outthink batters, the challenge is to keep evolving alongside the game.

His jersey number may have been chosen with a simple calculation, but his approach to bowling rests on a more complex equation: adapting to the changing demands of T20 cricket without surrendering control of the contest.

As batters continue to push the limits of scoring, Bhuvneshwar's message remains clear. Bowlers are not merely there to contain the damage. They still have the power to dictate how a game unfolds.

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