Veteran India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has opened up about his changing mindset towards an international comeback, admitting that there was a point when he realised he could no longer keep his career centred around a return to the Indian team.
Bhuvneshwar, who last represented India in November 2022, has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence in domestic and franchise cricket. His impressive performances for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2026 even reignited calls for his return to the national side. However, the experienced seamer has insisted that he no longer allows selection discussions to dictate his career.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar opens up on India comeback
Although Bhuvneshwar has repeatedly suggested that he has stopped worrying about an India comeback, the veteran pacer recently admitted that he still feels he is good enough to earn a place in the national team.
Speaking on a podcast with Jatin Sapru on his YouTube channel, Bhuvneshwar was asked whether he believed he deserved another opportunity with India.
“Of course,” the experienced seamer replied.
However, Bhuvneshwar was quick to clarify that another India call-up is not the sole motivation behind his continued performances. He stressed that he is not playing domestic and franchise cricket simply to prove a point to the selectors.
“I’m not playing to prove anything, but I’d be happy to play for India again,” he said.
Bhuvneshwar last played for India in the T20I format against New Zealand in Napier, shortly after India’s disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.
At the time, the veteran pacer still believed another opportunity with the national team could come. He had received indications from the selectors that gave him hope of returning to the squad, but that expectation eventually faded.
Bhuvneshwar admitted that he initially thought an India comeback could happen within a couple of series after the New Zealand tour.
“Till a few series,” he said when asked whether he expected to return to the Indian team. “Because I had received a call. What they said, based on that I felt maybe next two series. But then I realised it’s not what they said.”
The realisation was difficult, but Bhuvneshwar said he eventually accepted the situation rather than allowing it to affect him permanently.
“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 explained.
Bhuvneshwar knew the semifinal in Adelaide could be his last World Cup
Interestingly, Bhuvneshwar had already started preparing himself emotionally for the possibility that his international career was entering its final phase during the 2022 T20 World Cup.
India were knocked out by England in the semifinal in Adelaide, and shortly after the defeat, Bhuvneshwar returned to his hotel room and spoke to his wife, Nupur.
He recalled telling her that he believed he had played his final World Cup for India.
“In Adelaide it happened. I came to my room and told my wife. I told this from my experience,” Bhuvneshwar recalled.
The experienced pacer explained that the mood inside the dressing room was understandably one of disappointment, but he had seen similar situations unfold throughout his career. In his view, a major tournament defeat often prompts selectors to start planning for the next cycle.
“In the dressing room, everyone was disappointed. There were a few briefs before we left. But when I came back to my room I told Nupur this was my last World Cup,” he said.
Bhuvneshwar also acknowledged that the selectors had every right to look towards the future after the tournament.
“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.
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IPL 2026 revives Bhuvi’s India comeback debate
Ironically, Bhuvneshwar’s decision to stop obsessing over an India return coincided with one of the strongest phases of his recent career.
Playing for RCB, the veteran pacer was one of the standout performers during their successful IPL 2026 campaign. He finished the tournament with 28 wickets in 16 matches, helping the franchise retain its title. His performances naturally triggered renewed calls for his India recall.
Several former cricketers also backed the idea of giving Bhuvneshwar another opportunity, particularly with the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching.
Yet the bowler maintained that his approach remained unchanged.
“I play the IPL because I know I have to perform and help my team win, but I’m not playing here just to get picked somewhere,” he said during an interview with Mayanti Langer.
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