Bhuvneshwar Kumar accepts exclusion from Team India

Veteran Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has expressed that he has made peace with his omission from the national team. The 36-year-old, who currently plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has not appeared for Team India since the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Kumar revealed that following India's semifinal exit in the 2022 tournament, he sensed that selectors would begin looking toward future cycles. He noted that while he initially believed a recall might be possible after receiving communication from management, he eventually realized a comeback was unlikely.

Reflecting on his career, Kumar stated he is no longer playing to prove anything and no longer waits for selection calls. He also identified the 2019 World Cup semifinal loss against New Zealand as a more heartbreaking moment than the 2022 T20 World Cup defeat.