Former Indian captain Virender Sehwag has given a strong message to the selectors of the Indian cricket team.
He said that the selection panel should consider the return of RCB star Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the Indian team, at least in the T20 format.
Although the fast bowler made his debut in 2012 and has been a mainstay over the years, he has not played for the country in any format since November 2022.
In IPL 2026, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has impressed everyone with his ability to swing and bowl the ball in all phases of the match. His new form resulted in him earning the Purple Cap in IPL 2026 with 17 wickets in 9 matches.
“He has been the best bowler in the tournament” – Sehwag
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Sehwag said that Bhuvneshwar is bowling as well as in previous years.
He said, “Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been the best bowler in this tournament. In every match he is taking 2-3 wickets, even against Gujarat Titans he took 3 wickets. He has taken RCB to a good position. Sometimes, I wonder what kind of thing is age? Even though he is 35 or 36 years old now, so what? If he is bowling so well, then the selectors should at least be aware of his comeback in the T20 format. I should think.”
“The sharpness is back” – Sehwag on Bhuvneshwar Kumar
“Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar used to form a strong pair earlier. The selectors should think whether they can be that powerful again. He (Bhuvneshwar) bowls with the new ball, bowls with the old ball. I am very happy to see the old Bhuvneshwar Kumar back. The fire in him is back.”
He concluded, “He is bowling to the top batsmen, it’s not like he is bowling against only one or two teams. I really enjoyed watching him bowl against all the teams, the vintage Bhuvneshwar is back.”
Bhuvneshwar Kumar in IPL 2026 and T20I career
Apart from being the Purple Cap holder, Bhuvneshwar has also been the best bowler this year in terms of bowling average and economy.
During RCB’s loss to GT on 30 April, Bhuvneshwar also became the first Indian fast bowler to achieve a significant feat.
Also read: Bhuvneshwar Kumar became the first cricketer in the world to achieve this amazing feat
He has not played a T20I for India since November 2022, but has played 87 matches in a career spanning 10 years. In T20Is, Bhuvneshwar has taken 90 wickets at an average of 23 and an economy of less than 7 runs per over.
In 2022, against Afghanistan, he took 5 wickets for just 4 runs. In the process, he became the first Indian bowler to take five-wicket hauls twice in T20Is.
rcb next match
In their next match, Royal Challengers Bangalore will take on Lucknow Super Giants on May 7 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow.
RCB have already beaten LSG once this season, and can use that motivation with the week-long break to get back to winning ways.
