Bhuvi is back in blues.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is back in India’s T20I squad for the New Zealand tour, and this comeback has already created plenty of discussion among Indian cricket fans. After his strong performances for RCB and back-to-back trophies, Bhuvi has earned another opportunity in India colours.
The selection also raises a bigger question. Could this be the beginning of another international run for one of India’s most experienced swing bowlers?
Bhuvi is back after a strong IPL run
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return is closely linked with what he has done in the IPL. He took 17 wickets in IPL 2025 and then improved to 28 wickets in IPL 2026, while helping RCB win consecutive IPL titles.
That kind of consistency is difficult for selectors to ignore. Bhuvi has always offered India something different with his ability to move the ball, control the new ball and use his experience in pressure situations.
| Season | Matches | Overs | Wickets | Best | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL 2025 | 14 | 52 | 17 | 3/33 | 9.29 |
| IPL 2026 | 16 | 63 | 28 | 4/23 | 7.95 |
The numbers show the improvement clearly. The jump from 17 wickets to 28 wickets makes the 2026 season particularly important when looking at why Bhuvi is back in the national setup.
Should Bhuvi also be recalled for ODIs?
His T20I comeback has naturally started another conversation: should Bhuvi also get another chance in ODIs?
India need experienced pace options, but the situation is not as simple as saying there are no alternatives. Prasidh Krishna is fit, but his recent economy can make him an expensive option in some combinations. Gurnoor Brar is young and still developing.
That leaves room for an experienced bowler like Bhuvi to be discussed again, especially if the selectors want someone who can offer control and experience.
After Agarkar’s tenure, Bhuvi’s selection is another interesting sign of how the selection setup is looking at current performers. And if Bhuvi can make this comeback count, the conversation around India’s ODI pace options could become even more interesting.
Could Shami be next?
Bhuvi’s return also brings Mohammed Shami back into the conversation.
Fans have already started asking whether Shami could also be seen again in India’s ODI plans. There is no confirmed ODI recall here, but the broader point is interesting: experienced Indian fast bowlers are still being discussed when they show that they can perform at a high level.
For now, Bhuvi has the opportunity in front of him. What he does with it could influence the next selection conversations.
The RCB and Gautam Gambhir theory
There is also a theory doing the rounds among fans about why Bhuvi has been selected.
The theory is that Gautam Gambhir could be trying to make things difficult for RCB by bringing Bhuvi back into the India setup. The idea is that if Bhuvi’s value rises, RCB could find it harder to retain him for ₹5 crore or could face a tougher situation at the auction.
But this is only speculation from fans and should not be treated as a confirmed selection strategy.
There is no established evidence that Bhuvi’s selection was made to hurt RCB’s auction plans. His IPL performances provide a much more straightforward explanation for why he is back in the squad.
My take: selectors are rewarding performers
For me, this is a positive sign.
Bhuvi has performed well, improved his numbers and helped RCB win consecutive IPL titles. Now he has been rewarded with an India call-up.
This is the kind of selection that can encourage players to keep performing because strong domestic and IPL performances can still lead to an international opportunity.
Bhuvi is back in blues. Now the interesting part is seeing whether he can turn this opportunity into a longer international run.
India T20I squad for the New Zealand tour
India’s T20I squad includes:
- Shreyas Iyer (C)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Sanju Samson (WK)
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- Ishan Kishan (WK)
- Tilak Varma (VC)
- Axar Patel
- Shivam Dube
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Naman Dhir
- Prince Yadav
- Mayank Yadav
- Arshdeep Singh
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Kuldeep Yadav