Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Image: X) Bhuvneshwar Kumar is all set to achieve another historic milestone in the Indian Premier League when he takes on Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Lucknow Super Giants at the BRSABV Ekana Stadium today.The veteran seamer will become the first fast bowler in IPL history to play 200 matches, adding another remarkable achievement to his illustrious T20 career. Earlier this season, on 5 April 2026, Bhuvneshwar became the first pacer and only the second player overall after Yuzvendra Chahal to take 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.
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Bhuvneshwar Kumar on RCB loss: ‘It was just an off day’With his 200th appearance, Bhuvneshwar will also join the elite group of IPL legends who have appeared in 200 or more matches, becoming only the 12th player in the history of the tournament to achieve the milestone. Here are the players with more than 200 IPL matches:PlayerSpanMatchesMS Dhoni2008–present278Rohit Sharma2008–present277Virat Kohli2008–present276Ravindra Jadeja2008–present264Dinesh Karthik2008–2024257Shikhar Dhawan2008–Ravicran Ashwin2009–2025221Ajinkya Rahane2008–present207 Suresh Raina2008–2021205 Robin Uthappa2008–2022205 Ambati Rayudu2010–2023204 Bhuvneshwar– Kumar1901His RCB teammate Virat Kohli praised Bhuvneshwar Kumar and ranked him among the top 3 IPL pacers of all time,“It is a huge achievement to play 200 IPL games, especially as a fast bowler. It speaks to his longevity and consistency. He has played so much cricket across formats and remained successful throughout,” Kohli said.“The thing that has always stood out about Bhuvi is his understanding of the game and his cricketing intelligence. He is definitely among the top three pacers in IPL history. When you look at his economy, the wickets he has picked up and the number of balls he delivers every match, it is truly remarkable. He is someone you can rely on under pressure every time,” he added.
