Former India batsman Sachin Tendulkar believes Bhuvneshwar Kumar achieved success in IPL 2026 by using the ‘wobbly seam’, a variation that made it difficult for batsmen to predict the movement of the ball.Bhuvneshwar played a key role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s run to the IPL 2026 final, taking 26 wickets in 15 matches.
Ahead of Sunday’s title match against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Tendulkar explained how the veteran seamer has adapted his game this season.
“This season, if you look at Bhuvi’s seam, I think it’s a wobbly seam. So when a wobbly seam comes, often the batsman doesn’t know whether the ball is going to fall or go in. And that’s what Bhuvi has been doing,” Tendulkar said in a video posted on X.According to Tendulkar, Bhuvneshwar moved away from relying primarily on traditional swing and instead focused on straighter bowling lines while using seam movement to create uncertainty.“Bhuvishwar Kumar has been bowling really well this season. In the previous season, when Bhuvi was bowling, he had a long winger or a winger. He has developed that difference; it’s his conscious decision, but he has been bowling as straight as possible. When a bowler wants to bowl a long winger or an inside winger, the seam always points towards the first or second slip of the outside winger. When you want to swing, the seam goes towards the leg slip to the right-hander.”
“The position of the wrist also changes,” he said.
Tendulkar also highlighted Bhuvneshwar’s control and consistency, saying his accuracy allows him to make the most of variety.“He was very accurate. If you see, his lines were very tight, either outside off stump or at most towards the fourth stump. From there, he tries to bowl a straight ball with a wobbly seam,” the 53-year-old said.“This ball is either going out or going in. So it becomes a little difficult to pick that because the signal is less from the wrist.
What happens in a wobbly seam is that when the seam lands in one direction, the ball comes out, and when it lands in another direction, the ball goes in or stays upright. I think this has been Bhuvi’s success mantra for this season. He was bowling very well. “Well done, Buffy,” he added.Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to Bhuvneshwar to make an impact with the new ball when they take on Gujarat Titans in the final of IPL 2026. The fast bowler heads into the title clash with 26 wickets and remains one of the key players in the team this season.
