Bhuvneshwar Kumar has made peace with his Team India omission, saying he knew the 2022 T20 World Cup would be his last. Despite his domestic form, the pacer no longer waits for a recall, understanding that selectors must look ahead after the semifinal exit.
The veteran Indian pacer and Royal Challengers Bengaluru star Bhuvneshwar Kumar has apparently accepted that his return to the national team colours is no longer on the horizon, opening up about the reality of his international omission following a stellar run in the domestic leagues.
Bhuvneshwar has been out of the Team India setup across formats since November 2022, with his last international appearance in the T20I series against New Zealand. He was part of the Team India that suffered a semifinal exit after losing to England at the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Despite taking 45 wickets across the last two IPL seasons with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the Uttar Pradesh pacer hasn’t received a recall to India’s T20I setup, especially for the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. In the recently concluded UP T20 League 2026, Bhuvneshwar picked up 14 in 11 matches.
Also Read: IND vs AFG: Shreyas Iyer hails bowlers’ ‘synergy’ in 7-wicket win
‘I’m Not Playing to Prove Anything’
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s prolonged exclusion from India’s setup, especially in T20Is, has become a talking point among fans who have frequently called for his return. However, the 36-year-old pacer has made it clear that he no longer spends his time waiting or hoping for a call-up, emphasizing that he is content with where his career stands.
Speaking to a well-known sports anchor, Jatin Sapru, on his YouTube channel, Bhuvneshwar stated that he has gone past the point where the non-selection to Team India no longer hurts him, admitting that he no longer waits for the next series call-up because the selectors want to look ahead to new cycles after major tournament exits.
“I’m not playing to prove anything, but I’d be happy to play for India again. I have gone past that time when I used to wait for the next series,” the UP pacer said.
“Because I had received a call. What they said, based on that, I felt maybe the next two series. But then I realised it’s not what they said. It wasn’t hurtful, because then I knew what was happening, and I made peace with it. It wasn’t easy, but family played a big role,” he added.
Bhuveshwar Kumar has been India’s pace bowling mainstay across formats for over a decade, and his ability to swing the ball has terrified the best batsmen in his prime. Although he is no longer in India’s scheme of things, the veteran continues to play in the IPL and domestic T20 leagues, especially the UP T20 League.
Bhuvneshwar Reveals He Knew His World Cup Journey Was Over in 2022
Further speaking on his exclusion from the India squad, Bhuvneshwar Kumar revealed that he told his wife Nupur that the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal defeat to eventual champions England was his last appearance in the global tournament, as he realised that the selectors would likely look ahead to the next World Cup cycle after the disappointing exit.
“In Adelaide it happened. I came to my room and told my wife. I told this from my experience. In the dressing room, everyone was disappointed. There were a few briefs before we left,” the 36-year-old said.
“But when I came back to my room, I told Nupur this was my last World Cup. Because what I have seen from my experience, when you lose a tournament like this, selectors want to look ahead, and that is fair,” he added.
Scroll to load tweet…
In his international career, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has taken 294 wickets, including 10 four-wicket hauls and 7 fifers, at an average of 29.50 and an economy rate of 4.73 in 229 matches.
Also Read: ‘Hope is Still Alive’: Krunal Pandya’s Post After India Snub for Afghanistan T20Is Goes Viral