In a dramatic twist during the 42nd match of IPL 2025 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, Bhuvneshwar Kumar faced massive backlash online after bowling a sharp bouncer to 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, one of the youngest debutants in the league’s history.
What started as a routine over from Bhuvneshwar turned into a trending topic as social media erupted in reactions, memes, and criticism.
The moment that triggered the outrage
In the fourth over of Rajasthan Royals’ chase of RCB’s 205-run total, Bhuvneshwar dug in a vicious bouncer that beat Suryavanshi’s attempted pull shot and whizzed past his helmet:
“Bhuvneshwar to Vaibhav Suryavanshi, no run” – A well-directed short ball surprised the teenager. He immediately signalled to the umpire, believing it was above head height.
Just one over later, Bhuvneshwar returned and clean bowled Suryavanshi for 16 off 12 balls, sparking even more buzz.
Social media reacts: “Bachhe ko bouncer daal raha hai…”
Twitter/X exploded with reactions, most of them criticising Bhuvneshwar Kumar for what many felt was an unnecessary show of aggression:
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“Bacche ko bouncer daal raha hai buzdil Bhuvi,” wrote one user.
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Another said, “Ban any bowler bowling bouncer to a 14-year-old and deduct 2 points from RR for child labour.”
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“Chinna payanuku bouncer @RCBTweets 👎👎,” added another user, mixing Tamil and English in his outrage.
Many tweets referenced how Bhuvi’s experience should’ve led him to handle the situation with more maturity — especially since the batter was still in school.
Flashback: Reminiscent of Waqar Younis vs Sachin Tendulkar
The incident also drew comparisons to 1989, when Waqar Younis bowled a deadly bouncer to 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar on debut, hitting him on the nose. The bloodied young batter refused to leave the crease, later scoring a brave 57 in that innings — a turning point in Indian cricket history.
Much like then, today’s moment wasn’t just about cricketing skill but also about mental toughness — and netizens didn’t hold back their judgment of how it played out.
Current match status
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RCB posted 205/5 in 20 overs, with Kohli scoring 70 (42) and Padikkal hitting 50 (27).
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RR are 52/1 after 4.2 overs, with Yashasvi Jaiswal smashing 35 off 14.
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Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s figures: 2.2 overs, 22 runs, 1 wicket – and a storm of memes.
