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'Never chased the Indian Jersey': Bhuvneshwar Kumar opens up on his comeback
India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has revealed that he never chased an international comeback during his nearly four-year absence from the national team, crediting his family for helping him stay focused on his career. Bhuvneshwar returned to India's Playing XI in the first T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch, marking his first international appearance since 2022. His recall followed consistent performances for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL.
Speaking in a video shared by the BCCI, the 36-year-old explained how avoiding expectations helped him during his time away from international cricket. "Not even once, for a single day, did we talk about a comeback to the Indian team," Bhuvneshwar said, highlighting his family's important role in his journey. "I have not set any expectations for myself. No expectations, just keep doing your work," he added, explaining how he learned to focus on the present rather than worry about the future.
The experienced pacer also expressed his happiness at representing India again, saying, "There's hardly any pride bigger than representing your country. I am getting to do that again, so I'm really happy." Bhuvneshwar has taken 45 wickets in 31 IPL matches for RCB at an average of 22.55. He also played a part in the franchise's back-to-back IPL title wins in 2025 and 2026.
However, his international return was challenging, as he finished with figures of 0/49 in four overs in the opening T20I. India won the high-scoring contest by four wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, with Sanju Samson scoring 67 and Naman Dhir remaining unbeaten on 42 off 15 balls. Bhuvneshwar will now look to bounce back in the second T20I against New Zealand.
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