The Lucknow Falcons have signed veteran India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the second edition of the UPT20 League. The 34-year-old, who previously played for the Noida Super Kings in the inaugural season, made a significant impact by picking up 14 wickets in nine matches, finishing as the fourth-leading wicket-taker.
Despite his impressive performance, Noida finished second on the points table and lost to Kashi Rudras in the first semi-final. Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s transfer saw interest from both Kanpur Superstars and Gorakhpur Lions. However, Gorakhpur had to withdraw due to financial constraints, leaving Lucknow Falcons to step in.
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They secured Bhuvneshwar for a substantial fee of INR 30.25 lakhs. Although Noida had the option to use their Right To Match (RTM) cards to retain him, they chose not to, allowing Lucknow to acquire the experienced pacer. In addition to Bhuvneshwar, Lucknow Falcons have signed players like Sameer Choudhary, Kritagya Kumar Singh, Viprag Nigam, and Aditya Kumar Singh for the upcoming season.
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They have also retained Priyam Garg, who led India in the U19 World Cup in 2020. Despite showing promise, Priyam has struggled to make a mark in the IPL and went unsold in the 2024 auction. He will be eager to perform well in the UPT20 League to revive his IPL career.
Recently, the Lucknow Falcons conducted a two-day trial at the Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Bajpai Ekana Stadium. The trials were overseen by chief coach Amrish Gautam, bowling coach AW Zaidi, batting coach Umang Sharma, fielding coach Ravikant Shukla, and manager Mritunjay Tripathi.
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Lucknow Falcons finished third in the previous edition but were knocked out by the Meerut Mavericks in the semi-finals. This time, they aim to go further, with Bhuvneshwar playing a crucial role in their campaign. The seasoned pacer also has personal goals, as he hopes to catch the selectors’ eye and make a case for his inclusion in India’s squad for the Champions Trophy.
