Bhuvneshwar Kumar says love for cricket, not India comeback, keeps him motivated

Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar says he is content with life outside the Indian team and now plays purely for his love of cricket. He also credited the IPL, Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri and his family for shaping his career and mindset.

New Delhi: Veteran fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar said a national recall is no longer the primary driving force for him, adding that he has made peace with his life outside the Indian team and continues to play purely out of passion for the game.

Bhuvneshwar, 36, last played for India came in late 2022. So far, he has played 21 Tests, 121 ODIs and 87 T20Is and the right-arm pacer, who was a member of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) side winning IPL 2026, noted that having already fulfilled his dream of representing the country, he feels no lingering pressure to prove himself.

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“I’m playing the IPL and domestic cricket because I love the game. When you’re young and playing for India, you say you love the game. But honestly, things like ‘control the controllables’, ‘don’t overthink’, or ‘playing for the passion of the game’ – I can actually feel those things now.

“I’ve already played for India. That’s not something I have to achieve now. If I get another opportunity, that’s great, but I’ve been there. Everything I’m doing now is because of my love for the game. I know I have to stay disciplined.

“I play domestic cricket, I play the UP T20 League. I make sure I play enough cricket to stay in touch, while also giving myself enough breaks to recover and stay refreshed,” Bhuvneshwar said on the RCB Podcast episode on Sunday.

Reflecting on his life away from playing international cricket, the right-arm bowler credited his family environment for helping him move forward without any sense of regret or bitterness. “I am absolutely at peace, and I give credit to my family. At home, we never talk about cricket. We never talk about whether I’ll get back into the Indian team, why I wasn’t selected, or what went wrong.

“That played a big role, and there is no regret. When you’re a core member of a team, everyone says: ‘Team comes first.’ But when you’re no longer in the team, naturally you feel: ‘Maybe I should still be there.’

“I understand that transitions are a part of sport. I understand that generations change. I’m not the first player to experience this, and I certainly won’t be the last. That is part of the game. Family plays a big role. I am happy being where I am,” he added.

Bhuvneshwar, who finished IPL 2026 with 28 wickets in 16 matches, pointed to the T20 league and the forward-thinking approach of former captain Virat Kohli and ex-coach Ravi Shastri as catalyst for fast bowling evolution in the country.

“The IPL deserves a lot of credit because it exposed so many talented fast bowlers to high-level cricket. You bring them to the setup, and they mature over time. Traditionally, Indian pitches favoured spin, while overseas conditions suited fast bowling. But during that period, a lot of credit goes to Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri. They had a clear vision.

“I remember we had important overseas tours coming up. Before those tours, even our home Test matches were played on pitches that helped fast bowlers, simply to prepare us. That showed their vision: they were about building a pace attack. Small decisions like that matter a lot,” he noted.

Recalling his early days in Meerut, Bhuvneshwar paid tribute to former India bowler Praveen Kumar, whose playing style deeply influenced his own development. “We come from the same academy. When I first joined, he was already playing state cricket. By the time I reached state level, he was playing for India.

“Our bowling styles were naturally very similar. When I was younger, I was too shy to keep asking him questions. Instead, I simply observed him. Not just him – my coaches and senior players too. Looking back, I realise how lucky I was. The guidance I received during those years built the strong bowling fundamentals that I still rely on today,” he concluded.