India’s veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar wants to make a comeback to the national team and he is focused on giving his best. Kumar said the selection is not in his hands and he wants to come up with consistent performances in the domestic tournaments.
In the ongoing UP T20 league, Kumar has scalped 11 wickets in nine matches while playing for the Lucknow Falcons. Kumar’s last appearance for India came in a T20I match against New Zealand in November 2022 but since then he has been out of action due to fitness issues and form.
Meanwhile, the swing master scalped 17 wickets in 14 matches of IPL 2025 and played a key role in taking Royal Challengers Bengaluru to glory.
“The selectors will answer this question,” Bhuvneshwar told Dainik Jagran when asked when he will be back playing international cricket. “My job is to give my 100 percent on the field, and I am giving it. After the UP League, if I get a chance to play for the state’s senior teams in Mushtaq Ali, Ranji or one-day format, I will try to give my best there too.”
“As a disciplined bowler, my focus is on my fitness and line-length. No matter how well you perform, sometimes luck does not favor you,” he added.
As per the reports, Rajeev Shukla is all set to replace Roger Binny as the next BCCI president. Rajya Sabha MP Shukla, a lifetime member of Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), is the current BCCI vice-president. However, Kumar denied that Shukla’s promotion will have any influence in the selection for UP players.
“See, performance is paramount,” Bhuvneshwar said. “If someone is consistently playing good cricket then he cannot be ignored for long. So, you should give your 100 percent on the field and leave the rest to the selectors.”
“If you are not able to perform well then it will not be possible for you to get into the Indian team no matter who the president is. Yes, it is certain that with Rajeev Shukla becoming the president, it will be difficult to ignore talent,” he added.
Lucknow Falcons will take on Meerut Mavericks in the second qualifier of the UP T20 league on Thursday.
