'I don't want to show that I want to play' - Bhuvneshwar Kumar breaks silence on India comeback hopes
Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished as the second highest wicket taker in IPL 2026.
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Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has broken his silence on his continued exclusion from India's T20I setup despite delivering a standout performance in the recently concluded IPL 2026. His impressive bowling displays had sparked widespread calls for a national comeback ahead of the white-ball series against Ireland and England. However, the selectors chose to persist with a younger group, leaving the veteran seamer out of the squad once again.
Bhuvneshwar, who last represented India in late 2022, adopted a composed and pragmatic outlook on the setback. Rather than dwelling on the omission, the 37-year-old stressed that his focus remains firmly on aspects within his control, his performance and consistency on the field.
Addressing the selection debate, Bhuvneshwar reiterated that he prefers to let his performances do the talking instead of publicly campaigning for a return to the national side. He acknowledged that team selection is the responsibility of the selectors and maintained that a player's role is to perform to the best of their ability whenever given an opportunity.
“It’s my nature that I don’t want to show that I want to play. I think everyone is doing their job. Selectors are doing their job. I’m doing my job. It’s their responsibility to select. If they think I’m good enough, they will do their job,” Bhuvneshwar said to The Indian Express.
Leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru's bowling attack, Bhuvneshwar played a pivotal role in helping the franchise secure a historic back-to-back IPL title. The veteran pacer was instrumental throughout the campaign, striking regularly in the powerplay, maintaining control during the middle overs, and delivering pinpoint yorkers at the death.
Across 16 appearances, Bhuvneshwar picked up an impressive 28 wickets at an economy rate of 7.95 and a remarkable average of 17.89, consistently troubling opposition batters with his experience and skill. His best performance of the season came against the Mumbai Indians, where he produced a match-winning spell of 4/23.
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