Praveen Kumar

Praveen Kumar IPL career was defined by late-swinging yorkers, clever change-ups and fearless death-over bowling that turned matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kings XI Punjab, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Lions. The Meerut pacer became a household name in IPL 2008 with signature early breakthroughs and became the league’s premier power-play enforcer, repeatedly knocking over top-order stars. His ability to swing the white ball both ways under lights made him a captain’s go-to in the first six overs, while his ice-cool execution in the final overs sealed cliff-hangers for multiple franchises. Fans still recall his double-wicket final overs at Mohali and his match-turning burst against Kolkata at the Chinnaswamy. Beyond the wickets, Praveen brought an unmatched street-smart attitude, mentoring younger quicks and setting attacking fields that maximised swing-friendly conditions. When fit, he operated as a bankable three-over banker, delivering dot-ball pressure that tilted IPL games long before the finishing kicks.

Swing king Praveen Kumar’s decade-long IPL journey reads like a master-class in disciplined seam bowling. From 2008 to 2017 the Uttar Pradesh stalwart turned out for six franchises—RCB, PBKS, MI, SRH and finally Gujarat Titans—collecting 90 wickets in 119 innings off 2,524 balls. His hallmark was control: an economy of 7.73 kept the run-flow tight even on featherbeds, while a strike-rate of 28.04 balls per wicket underlines how quickly he broke partnerships. Three times he hit the three-wicket mark, never letting the demand for a fourth slip past him. Though primarily a bowler, Kumar’s batting flashes added crucial runs lower down. In 57 innings he scored 340 runs, striking at 108 and clearing the ropes 17 times—proof that the old-school tail-ender tag never applied to him. His 22 fours and a top-score of 34 showed he could swing the willow when needed, but it was the white-ball wobble, seam and nagging line that made him a captain’s dream across 10 IPL seasons. Today, when analysts search “IPL swing bowler stats” or “Praveen Kumar IPL wickets economy”, these numbers still pop up as a gold standard for new-ball discipline in T20 cricket.

Note: This overview is partially generated using AI and is based on statistical data.