IPL 2026: Bhuvneshwar Kumar on the verge of history, set to become first pacer ever to...
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is set to reach a major IPL milestone today. He will become the first fast bowler to play 200 matches. This adds to his impressive IPL career.
He is also currently leading the Purple Cap standings. Virat Kohli praised Bhuvneshwar's longevity and intelligence. He called him one of the top three IPL pacers.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is set to achieve another historic milestone in the Indian Premier League when he takes the field for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Lucknow Super Giants today at the BRSABV Ekana Stadium. The veteran seamer will become the first fast bowler in IPL history to play 200 matches, adding yet another remarkable achievement to his illustrious T20 career. Earlier this season, on April 5, 2026, Bhuvneshwar became the first pacer, and only the second player overall after Yuzvendra Chahal, to claim 200 IPL wickets.
The swing specialist has continued his superb form this season and currently leads the IPL 2026 Purple Cap standings with 17 wickets in just nine matches. With his 200th appearance, Bhuvneshwar will also join an elite group of IPL legends to have featured in 200 or more matches, becoming only the 12th player in tournament history to reach the landmark. Here are players with 200-plus IPL matches: Player Span Matches MS Dhoni 2008–present 278 Rohit Sharma 2008–present 277 Virat Kohli 2008–present 276 Ravindra Jadeja 2008–present 264 Dinesh Karthik 2008–2024 257 Shikhar Dhawan 2008–2024 222 Ravichandran Ashwin 2009–2025 221 Ajinkya Rahane 2008–present 207 Suresh Raina 2008–2021 205 Robin Uthappa 2008–2022 205 Ambati Rayudu 2010–2023 204 Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2011–present 199 His RCB teammate Virat Kohli heaped his praise on Bhuvneshwar Kumar, calling among the top 3 IPL pacers of all time, “It’s a huge achievement to play 200 IPL games, especially as a fast bowler.
That speaks volumes about his longevity and consistency. He has played so much cricket across formats and has remained successful throughout,” Kohli said. 130890186 “The thing that has always stood out about Bhuvi is his understanding of the game and his cricket intelligence.