Royal Challengers Bengaluru seem to have a perfect replacement for Mohammed Siraj in the form of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. In fact, the veteran pacer is more than just a like-for-like replacement for Siraj, given his experience and expertise in bowling at both powerplay and death overs. Kumar was picked up by RCB for Rs 10.75 cr in IPL 2025 auction after being released by SRH following IPL 2024.
Can Bhuvneshwar Kumar do what Siraj couldn’t for RCB?
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is no stranger to bowling in the shortest format of the game and has arguably been one of the best bowlers in IPL. Although his form saw a dip in the recent years, he has been one of the most consistent Indian pacers in the tournament. He has bagged 181 wickets from 176 matches, averaging 27.23 and an economy rate of 7.56. In the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Bhuvneshwar has managed to take 11 wickets from 8 matches, proving that he has still got it.
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Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s ability to bowl economically across different phases of the game makes him one of the best finds for RCB. Previously, the team’s pace attack was spearheaded by Siraj – who surely had the pace and ability to bowl variety but is of no match to Bhuvi in terms of what the veteran brings to the table.
Siraj, who was associated with RCB for a long time, has taken 93 wickets in as many matches in the IPL. His economy rate, 8.65, was however a cause for concern for RCB, especially at M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru, given its short boundaries.
| Player | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 176 | 181 | 27.23 | 7.56 |
| Mohammed Siraj | 93 | 93 | 30.35 | 8.65 |
While Siraj has now moved to Gujarat Titans after not being retained by RCB, Bhuvneshwar Kumar could be the answer to Bengaluru’s bowling woes, especially at home. Along with fellow UP pacer Yash Dayal and Australian Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar will complete a formidable bowling unit for RCB and can potentially guide them to an elusive trophy.
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