NEW DELHI: Having been away from the national team for three years, India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar did not mince his words when breaking his silence about his absence, saying selection beyond his control despite giving his best on the field.
Captaining the Lucknow Falcons in the UP T20 League, 35-year-old seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar spoke to Dainik Jagran about his absence from the national team since India's semi-final loss in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, which was his last outing in international cricket.
When asked if fans can expect to see him don the Indian jersey again, Bhuvneshwar responded: "Aapko iska uttar chayanakarta denge (Only the selectors can answer that)."
"My job is to give 100 percent on the field, and I'm doing that. If I get a chance to play for Uttar Pradesh in the Mushtaq Ali, Ranji, or One-Day formats after the UP league, I will give my best there too."
"As a disciplined bowler, my focus remains on fitness and line-length. No matter how well you perform, sometimes luck doesn't favour you," he added.
Bhuvneshwar has played 121 ODIs, 21 Tests, and 87 T20Is, claiming 141, 63, and 90 wickets in each format respectively.
Bhuvneshwar believes that a player who performs well consistently cannot be ignored by selectors indefinitely.
"Your performance is paramount. If someone plays good cricket consistently, they cannot be ignored for long. Even if you're not selected, focus on giving your 100 percent. The rest is up to the selectors," he said. "Yes, with Rajeev Shukla as president, it will be difficult to overlook talent."
