The IPL might be known as a tournament that has been dominated by batters but it has also given the fans their fair share of world class bowlers which include the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar who are among the biggest veterans in the tournament as well.
The two pacers have been part of the tournament for more than a decade and have emerged as match-winners in the tournament. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar is currently the second-highest wicket-taker in the IPL with 193 wickets from 186 games, Bumrah is the highest wicket-taker for the Mumbai Indians (MI), which is the only franchise he has played for so far, with 178 wickets from the 141 games he has played so far. The two bowlers are known for their incredible accuracy, experience, and variations that make them unpredictable and certified wicket takers in the shortest format of the game.
The 2025 season has been good for the two world class bowlers as well where Bhuvneshwar is currently representing the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has taken 12 wickets from the 10 games he has played at an average of 28.25, Bumrah has taken 13 wickets from eight games at an average of 16.46. It is time to compare the performances of both pacers this season and discuss who has been the better bowler so far in the current edition of the IPL.
Here is the criteria to compare the season of the two IPL legends in 2025:
1. Powerplay
The power play plays an important role in the game since teams need to start well. This category has to go to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, even though Bumrah might have a better average and economy since he has bowled 24 overs in this phase of the game. The right arm swing bowler has taken six wickets at an average of 32.2 and has an economy of 8.04. On the other hand Bumrah has bowled 11 overs in the powerplay this season with three wickets at an average of 29 and has an economy of 7.91.
2. Middle overs
The middle overs are that phase of the game where the bowlers have to contain the batters. Both bowlers so far have not taken a lot of wickets in this phase of this game, but while Bumrah has bowled more overs and kept the lid on the scoring rate, the RCB pacer has only bowled a couple of overs and has struggled in that area. Bumrah, in the nine overs he has bowled in the middle overs, has taken two wickets at an average of 21 and has a phenomenal economy of 4.67. Bhuvi has taken only a solitary wicket and has been expensive with an economy of 11.
3. Death overs
This is the testing time for the bowlers, and both bowlers have done fairly well in terms of wickets, but it is Bumrah who has just got the better of Bhuvneshwar in this phase, where he has also been incredible in terms of economy and average, while the UP pacer has been quite expensive. Bumrah has bowled a total of 12 overs in the death, where he has taken eight wickets at an average of 10.6 and has an economy of only 7.08. Bhuvneshwar has bowled the same number of overs, and though he has taken five wickets at an average of 24.8, he has a high economy of 10.33.
