Morne Morkel said Bhuvneshwar Kumar needs time to regain his rhythm after limited training. The coach told the pacer to ignore outside noise and focus on his game. “Just be you, and connect with that,” Morkel said. Bhuvneshwar took 17 wickets in 2025 and 28 in the 2026 IPL season.
“One challenge is to block the expectation factor out. Two, leading into selection, he trained for a month, but playing international cricket is a different beast where the margins are small. He had to come in with limited training because of the schedule to get himself ready,” he added.
Morkel further said that the pacer will eventually find his rhythm once he gets enough games under his belt. Bhuvneshwar had played a key role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s back-to-back IPL titles, taking 17 wickets in the 2025 season and 28 in 2026.
“The skill and his experience, everything is there. But at the end of the day, we have to respect the game of cricket, and you have to allow him to find his feet in some of the games. And for me, that has been the message from the start when he joined the squad: don’t chase anything. Just be you,” he said.
“Yes, there will be expectations. But every game you’ll get better and every game you’ll find your rhythm. So let’s not think about any outside noises. Just be you and connect with that,” the South African added.