In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian pacer batter has been led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the ongoing three-match ODI series against Australia. He was seen putting in the hard yards during the training session ahead of the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide. After missing out in the four-match Test series, he made a return to India’s playing XI in the first match in Sydney which the visitors lost by 34 runs.

Kumar dismissed the Aussie captain Aaron Finch and middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb. In absence of Bumrah, it is largely expected from Bhuvi to provide India the initial breakthroughs with the new ball. He did a good job in Sydney with a dream first spell but failed to carry his form in the death overs which resulted in a stiff total from the home side.

WATCH – Bharat Army Prepares A Song For Bhuvneshwar Kumar

In Team India’s latest training session, Bhuvi was seen practicing some ‘Yorkers’ with the help of putting a shoe in front of the stumps. He feels Yorkers are absolutely essential when it comes to limited-overs cricket and they have the ability to bamboozle the best of the batsmen. He said that he has been practicing such drill since very long.

Here is the video of the same:

Here's a bowling drill for your next training session! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Ans4Zdnk8D

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 14, 2019

Speaking to reporters at Adelaide Oval, Bhuvneshwar said that getting back to a live match scenario after more than a month on the sidelines was a challenge but one that he had worked hard to be ready for. 

Describing the same, he said, “It did impact me. Matches are totally different when it comes to bowling. I was trying everything to be in rhythm in the nets, but it can’t be 100% until you come to a match. It wasn’t great in the last match but neither was it bad. It could improve, of course.”

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To maintain his consistency when not playing, Bhuvneshwar explained that he did sufficient amount of net sessions while deemed surplus to India’s requirements in the Test series.

Bhuvneshwar said, “See, in the nets, I was not planning to bowl in the one-dayers. I was preparing to bowl in any of the Test matches,” he said. “There wasn’t anything specific I could do. It was just normal bowling. Increasing the number of overs .. four to six to eight to ten … that was the key thing for me, to be niggle-free and be in bowling rhythm.” 

In England last summer, his bowling speed had dropped during the ODIs but at the SCG on the weekend it clocking 135kph range.

Talking about the same, the veteran pacer said, “I was going through a niggle at that time, so you can’t bowl at 100% during that period. Since then I’ve trained a lot, especially during this past month of the Test series, so that’s the reason I am back to bowling 130-135. The main thing is that I am niggle-free right now. It’s been a mixture of weight-training, running and bowling a lot in the nets. Its about getting back to bowling fitness. In a week, I have to train a few sessions in the gym and a few in the ground and then twice or thrice in the nets. It kept increasing each week as the one-day series neared.”

ALSO READ: Bhuvi Was Nervous In The First Game

India’s pace attack for the first ODI comprised Bhuvneshwar, Khaleel Ahmed and Mohammed Shami. The trio conceded 167 runs in 28 overs – an economy rate of 5.96 – with Bhuvneshwar the only one who managed to take a couple of wickets. The fourth pace option in the current ODI squad is Mohammed Siraj, and Bhuvneshwar was confident in the core group’s ability.

Bhuvneshwar described, “I think its a good combination. Bumrah is not here because he needed some rest, so Shami, me, Khaleel and Siraj are doing well in domestic [cricket] and the IPL or India matches. Everyone has their own skill sets and way of going into a match, so overall its a good combination.”

After losing to Australia by 34 runs on Saturday, the second ODI has become a do-or-die for India in Adelaide before moving to the MCG on Friday. Acknowledging that India’s top order not clicking was “very rare” for the team, Bhuvneshwar said that the visitors were preparing to win the next two matches.

The pacer explained, “We’ve been in this situation before in India, so we know it’s not impossible to win the series. We’re preparing in a manner to win the next two matches. Its a kind of knock-out for us. We can’t afford to lose this match. We’re not thinking anything different from how we’ve been thinking for the last couple of years. We just want to win the match and everyone is positive for that.”