Bhuvneshwar Kumar has fond memories. A couple of months back he was bowling like in his prime, squaring up the Kiwi batsmen and cleaning them up like a pack of cards on a green track in Kolkata. That five-wicket haul is still fresh in his mind. Little did he know that soon after that match-winning performance he would find himself out of the squad nursing a back injury. “That fifer gave me a lot of confidence. I had prepared a lot before that Test match. When I saw the wicket at the Eden Gardens, I did get a feeling that these conditions are apt for me. It felt good to see those green patches on the pitch,” he says speaking to BCCI.TV on the eve of the fourth Test against England in Mumbai. “I was excited and couldn’t wait to get the red cherry in my hand. There was a bit of nervousness but the moment I entered the ground, all the nervousness was gone. I was in my zone in that Test because I was coming off some good bowling performances. At the same time, it was disappointing to miss out on the matches to follow. “It was frustrating to go back injured midway through the series especially, when you are bowling well,” he begins to explain his agonizing stint with injury and the whole rehab process. “It is not easy for anyone to be in and out of the side and represent your country in Test matches. Being in a Test match bowling rhythm is very important and you don’t often get that rhythm. When you get it and you are out of the side, it does get frustrating. “It wasn’t a major injury but it did take time to get back to full fitness. I went to the NCA and worked with the trainers and physiotherapist who put in their heart and soul to get me back to match fitness. I remember going to the NCA and going through the drills for two to three hours and getting back to the hotel room wondering what to do next. That wait for the injury to heal was very frustrating. I wanted to get back to the team and get back to bowling.” That he did, as he was soon declared fit enough to play a first-class game and prove his match fitness to rejoin the Test side. But with that came its own set of fears and challenges. “When I went back to play a Ranji Trophy game, there was some fear in my mind. The injury keeps playing on your mind and you get very mindful not to hurt yourself in the process. The best thing to do to get the fear out of your system is play matches. Bowling at the nets and bowling in a match are two completely different things. Even if you bowl a hundred percent in the nets, you still won’t get the rhythm that is similar to a match. It is a good move by the BCCI to make a player play a game before he joins the team. It helps in gauging your fitness and getting back your confidence. It did take some time for me to get back to full bowling rhythm but it went well after that.” Bhuvneshwar claims those days at the rehab are still fresh in his mind. But an assurance and support from the team management time and again kept him in good stead. “There were a few drills that I had to do to mobilize few of my body parts. I had to work on my abs and other small things to strengthen my back. I would get messages from our coach Anil Kumble and he would be in constant touch with the physiotherapist at the NCA. He would keep a tab on my fitness and enquire regularly about my status. Such small things matter a lot and it motivates you to work that much harder to get back on the field. In some ways, it also helps in your healing process because it keeps you in a good mind space. It also gives you an assurance that the team needs you and are looking forward to having you back in the side.”

Fit and raring to go, the medium pacer is bowling full steam at the nets. With Mohammed Shami a doubtful starter and Ishant Sharma being released from the squad, Bhuvneshwar Kumar might well get the nod in the eleven for the fourth Test. For Bhuvneshwar, it was all about being in a good space and preparing each day at the nets like he would be a part of the eleven. “I bowl at the nets like a match situation. I haven’t played a lot of matches post my injury so I try to create a match scenario at the nets. It is important for you to keep yourself in the mind space of a match so that you are ready mentally whenever need be. There is nothing different that I am doing at the moment. When you are in the side but not in the playing eleven, you do train harder.” Every net stint was a learning curve for Bhuvneshwar as he puts it. Seeing his fellow pacers Shami and Umesh Yadav putting up stellar performances has definitely sprung up conversations and keen ears to learn and improve his own game. “Shami and Umesh are outstanding when it comes to fast bowling. They are deadly. Each one of us has different skill sets. When I am bowling, I know that it is my responsibility to give the side a breakthrough with the new ball and Umesh & Shami are the ones who can reverse it in the later part of the innings. Swinging the ball is my strength and I have learnt a lot from Shami and Umesh when it comes to reversing the ball. I try to adapt and implement what they advise me to do. It is an ongoing process and I am sure it will help me in the future.”