Veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has openly admitted that he wants to make India come back, but at the same time, he has made it clear that this only rests with the national selectors and BCCI.
He had a brilliant IPL 2026 season for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), taking 28 wickets in 16 matches and playing an important role in the team’s successful title defence. But the Indian selectors have not picked him for either the T20Is or ODIs yet.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar confirms desire for India comeback
The calls for Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to the India National Cricket Team have continued to grow among former players, experts and fans. Now, the 36-year-old himself has made his desire clear.
In a viral video shared by 2sloggers on Instagram, Bhuvneshwar was told that fans want to see him back in the Indian team. The Meerut-born pacer admitted that he still wants to wear the India jersey again. He said in his response: “Mann toh mera bhi hai (I want to as well).”
When he was reminded that the fans want to see him in the national jersey, the RCB bowler said that it is their love and he is happy for that. Well, the focus turned to his impressive spell in the UPT20 League, where he produced figures of 4 wickets for just 10 runs.
The possibility of seeing such performances for India was also mentioned by the hosts, and Bhuvneshwar remained hopeful about it. Bhuvneshwar said, “Ho jayega toh achhi hai" (It will be good if that happens). Earlier, Ishan Kishan’s GF shared a heartfelt message after the keeper-batter’s Duleep Trophy century.
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Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s India snub stuns fans despite IPL and domestic heroics
Bhuvneshwar Kumar made his India debut in December 2012 against Pakistan in a T20I. He represented the country in all three formats and became one of India's most reliable white-ball bowlers. However, Bhuvneshwar’s last appearance for India came way back in November 2022.
Since then, he has not been picked in the India squad, but he has continued to perform strongly in domestic and franchise cricket. After joining Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the 2025 mega auction, Bhuvneshwar has taken 45 wickets in 30 matches for the franchise.
His IPL 2026 campaign was especially impressive. He played every one of RCB’s 16 matches and picked up 28 wickets, helping Rajat Patidar’s team successfully defend the IPL trophy. He finished the tournament as the second-highest wicket-taker, yet he was not handed the recall.
UPT20 League gives more hope to Bhuvneshwar
After his successful IPL 2026 season, Bhuvneshwar Kumar continued his strong run in the UPT20 League with the Lucknow Falcons. He played all 11 matches for the team and took 14 wickets, helping Lucknow Falcons reach the finals, where his team lost to Meerut Mavericks.
His best performance came in the first playoff against Meerut Mavericks on September 3 at Ekana Stadium. Bhuvneshwar produced a brilliant spell of 4 wickets for only 10 runs.
At 36, Bhuvneshwar is still showing that he has plenty of cricket left in him. With his experience, IPL success and recent performances, the debate over his return to the Indian team is only getting louder.
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