Why Bhuvneshwar Kumar isn’t in scheme of Indian things despite heroics in IPL & UPT20 league 2026?
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Captain Bhuvneshwar Kumar led the Lucknow Falcons to their maiden UPT20 final.
Indian cricket’s selection landscape has mostly revolved around player fitness and current form. However, with many proven stars not getting picked for the national side, it has highlighted the importance of team balance over experience.
Several Indian players and established cricketers who have not been part of the Indian team dynamics over the past few years have continued to produce strong performances in domestic and franchise cricket.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who played for India for almost a decade before being sidelined from the national setup, is one such particularly intriguing case. Despite the doors of national selection being shut on several occasions, Bhuvneshwar has continued to deliver with the ball domestically.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar awaits India call following UPT20 dominance
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Bhuvneshwar has been one of the standout performers among India pacers in recent domestic and franchise-level cricket. His contributions to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s consecutive IPL triumphs cannot be neglected. The pacer also claimed 28 wickets during their IPL 2026 campaign with a remarkable economy of 7.95.
He has now produced a similar impact, playing for the Lucknow Falcons in the UPT20 league in 2026. Bhuvneshwar captained the Falcons side and took them into Qualifier 1 with nine wickets in his tally after nine matches. In the playoff, the experienced pacer produced his best performance of the season and returned with figures of 4/10 in his four overs.
The spell included 18 dot balls, which helped the Falcons defend a low total of 145 against the Meerut Mavericks in the UPT20 league. That spell took him to 13 wickets in the season, but what remains extraordinary is that his bowling economy remains 5.88 after ten matches into the season.
What has been the hurdle in Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s possible return?
Despite his effectiveness, Bhuvneshwar’s performance has not translated into an India recall. Some feel this might be partial to the talented bowler, while some argue that several important reasons are behind his repeated snub.
Bhuvneshwar’s biggest disadvantage is his absence from recent international cricket. His last match for India came during a T20I match in 2022. This means he has not been part of international cricket for nearly four years now. That means the selectors only have to assess him based on franchise performances.
The pacer, on the other hand, will be 37 by the time of the next World Cup in 2027, and the Indian selectors are looking to develop younger fast bowlers who can extend their careers to the next few upcoming cycles.
When asked on several occasions, Kumar himself has always responded that he is absolutely ready if India decides to recall him for international cricket, but his primary focus lies on playing cricket rather than chasing selection.
When was the last time Bhuvneshwar Kumar played for India?
Bhuvneshwar Kumar last played for India on November 22, 2022, in a T20 International match against New Zealand.
How many wickets were picked by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in international cricket?
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has taken a total of 294 international wickets for India across all formats.
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