IPL 2026 | My skills haven’t changed… what keeps me going is discipline: Bhuvneshwar Kumar

It has been 16 years since Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been running in to deliver the ball with that aesthetically pleasing action in the IPL. Yes, the wrinkles are more marked now, and the body is demanding more delicate attention. But the effectiveness has barely diminished.

The 36-year-old gave another glimpse of his otherworldly accuracy and ability to extract the maximum out of a surface with a four-wicket haul in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s riveting win over Mumbai Indians here on Sunday.

While most athletes credit a dream or an incentive as their driving force, Bhuvneshwar is slightly different.

“Motivation is a very overrated word for me. What keeps me going is discipline. It maybe cliche, but it is wanting to go when you are tired; that consistency and hunger that translates to the field as well.

“I don’t think my skills have changed since I debuted. The mental aspect — accepting that the batters play differently from 10 years ago and are going to come hard at you — is helping me stay relevant,” he elucidated during a conversation with select media on Monday.

The Uttar Pradesh quick has already picked up 21 wickets for the defending champion this edition, his highest season tally since 2017. But what really stands out is the economy rate he is operating at. Despite records for the loftiest totals and the highest chases tumbling, Bhuvneshwar has maintained an economy of just 7.46.

“When you take wickets regularly, you force the batter to take an extra couple of balls at the crease. I am not doing anything different. But the wickets column gives you confidence that you will execute better. I am still trying to keep things simple. The ball is coming out of the hand nicely. It’s swinging. It’s getting edges. Everything is falling into place,” he added.