Bhuvneshwar Kumar Becomes First Fast Bowler to Take 200 IPL Wickets

Bhuvneshwar Kumar registered his name in the record books during the match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings.

He became only the second bowler and the first fast bowler in the history of the Indian Premier League to take 200 wickets. He achieved this milestone by dismissing Ayush Mhatre during an IPL 2026 match.

Bhuvneshwar, who is the second-highest wicket-taker in the league, has now joined Yuzvendra Chahal in the 200-wicket club.

He now has 202 wickets in 192 matches at an average of 27.25. Chahal is ahead of him with 224 wickets in 176 matches at an average of 22.68.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s IPL career

Bhuvneshwar made his IPL debut in 2011 for Pune Warriors India, where he spent three seasons. However, he made his name with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). He spent 11 seasons with SRH from 2014 to 2024, played 145 matches and took 157 wickets.

No other player has played even 100 matches for SRH, and no one else has more than 100 wickets for this team in IPL.

Only three other bowlers have taken more than 150 wickets for a single franchise - Sunil Narine for Kolkata Knight Riders (193), and Jasprit Bumrah (183) and Lasith Malinga (170) for Mumbai Indians.

Bhuvneshwar’s 48 wickets in Hyderabad are also the highest by any bowler. His best season came in 2017, when he took 26 wickets and won the 'Purple Cap' for his team.

He holds a very special and prestigious record: winning the 'Purple Cap' consecutively twice in 2016 – 23 wickets and 2017 – 26 wickets.

List of top 5 wicket-takers in IPL

1 Yuzvendra Chahal – 223 wickets

2 Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 202

3 Sunil Narine - 193

4 Piyush Chawla - 192

5 Ravichandran Ashwin – 187

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s international career

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is an excellent Indian swing bowler (2012–2022), known for his outstanding bowling with the new ball and in death overs. He has taken more than 290 international wickets, including 21 Tests (63 wickets), 121 ODIs (141 wickets) and 87 T20Is (90 wickets).

He is the first Indian bowler to take five-wicket hauls in all three formats—Test, ODI and T20I. He played an important role in India’s victory in the 2013 Champions Trophy.

In 2017, he introduced a highly effective "scrambled seam" bowling technique.

Test career (2013–2018): His best performance was 6/82 against England.

ODI career (2012–2022): His best performance was 5/42 against Sri Lanka.

T20 career (2012–2022): His best performance was 5/4 against Afghanistan.