KATHMANDU: Whenever leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane was absent from the team, there was a scramble to fill the challenge on the field. Now, Kushal Bhurtel is on a mission to turn that challenge into an opportunity.

Kushal is not just an opening batsman; he is equally impactful with the ball. In the triangular T20 series held in Hong Kong on 12 March 2024, he scored 59 runs off 39 balls against Papua New Guinea, giving the team a solid start.

His contribution did not stop there—he bowled four overs, taking four wickets at an economy of three, helping Nepal secure a commanding 85-run victory.

Former coach Monty Desai said, “Kushal is the kind of player we desire. He is ready to take on any role and has the ability to balance both batting and bowling.”

However, Kushal’s journey in short-format cricket was not that easy. In 2021, Sri Lankan-born Australian coach Dave Whatmore gave him a debut opportunity in the triangular series against the Netherlands and Malaysia. After scoring 278 runs, including four half-centuries in the five matches of that home series, his place in the national team was secured.

Consistency in the national team is certainly not easy. With Whatmore’s departure and the arrival of a new coach, Kushal’s form declined, and he struggled to maintain a spot in the team. But it is fortunate that no coach who came to train the national team in the meantime took the risk of dropping him, owing to his playing style.

Allegations of misconduct against Sandeep and the team’s lack of leg-spinners opened up another bowling option for Kushal.

Sudden presence

According to former Nepal national team coach Jagat Tamata, Kushal played as an all-rounder from the youth levels. In the 2016 ICC U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, he batted lower down and bowled with pace in all matches to help Nepal reach the plate playoff semifinals. Unfortunately, he could not shine in either discipline.

He scored 57 runs with the bat, and despite bowling 10 overs, he remained wicketless. Sandeep, on the other hand, took 14 wickets, finishing second on the highest wicket-takers list.

Recalling that event, Bhurtel says, “My pace wasn’t there in bowling, and I had a back problem. So, I didn’t feel I could make a career in bowling and gave it up.”

Kushal with his teammates. Photo: CAN

Since then, he did not bowl for six years, occasionally trying it in domestic cricket. His bowling in domestic matches impressed the then coach Manoj Prabhakar, who had himself been an opening bowler for India.

Prabhakar included Kushal in the team for the three-match ODI series against the UAE in November 2023, which helped establish him. He batted at the tail and also took three wickets.

He was also given the same role during Nepal’s tour to Namibia for the ICC World Cup League-2. But Nepal’s batting lineup fell apart.

After poor results, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) recalled him from the team. With Prabhakar dismissed from coaching, Desai, who came to Nepal, reinstated him as an opening batsman and gave him the opportunity to bowl as well.

Kushal did not shy away from this new challenge. Instead, he accepted responsibility and took six wickets against UAE ‘A’ in the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup on 19 July 2023 in Bangladesh, helping Nepal secure a three-wicket win.

The turning point in Kushal’s cricket career was the T20 World Cup jointly held in the United States and West Indies last year. Sandeep, who had missed the previous two matches in the US, returned for the game in the West Indies. Just as Sandeep was being heavily discussed ahead of the game against South Africa, Kushal sensationally took four wickets.

He bowled at an average speed of 80 km/h with noticeable turn, putting the opposition batsmen in trouble. He dismissed prominent batsmen such as Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen, known for their proficiency against spinners. From February to 15 June 2024, Kushal took as many wickets as Sandeep.

Kushal was named Man of the Match in the T20 World Cup Qualifier game against Kuwait.

Kushal was man of the match in the T-20 World Cup qualifier against Kuwait. Photo: CAN

Once aspiring to be a footballer, Kushal has emerged as one of the finest talents recently produced by Nepal Cricket. As a child, he wanted to be a goalkeeper, but he turned to cricket to fulfill his father’s dream. A decade later, he is performing at a high level on the international stage. In 23 international innings, he has bowled 56.2 overs, taking 30 wickets including one maiden. Of these, 11 wickets came in the last 10 games.

Excluding Sandeep (who took 19 wickets in 10 games), Kushal has taken more wickets than other regular bowlers in Nepal. There are other spinners in the Nepali team as well. Captain Rohit Kumar Paudel himself bowls spin, and Dipendra Singh Airee is another option. However, both are left-handed orthodox bowlers. Sandeep is the only leg-spinner in the team. That is why he says, Sandeep cannot be compared to other bowlers. Fortunately, Kushal is also a leg-spinner, so he can be a replacement for Sandeep when needed.