Bhuvneshwar has been picked in India's T20I squad for the upcoming New Zealand tour.
When the BCCI Men’s Selection Committee on Tuesday (October 6) announced India’s 16-member squad for the upcoming five-T20I series against New Zealand, there was a notable inclusion in it.
Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was named in the senior Indian squad after nearly four years. His last appearance for the country was in November 2022.
Bhuvneshwar, 36, was rewarded for his brilliance in domestic cricket and the IPL over the last two seasons, serving as a vital architect in RCB’s historic back-to-back championship campaigns. While the right-arm seamer claimed 17 wickets in 2025, he was phenomenal this year, picking up 28 scalps and finishing with the best economy rate among the top five wicket-takers.
Speaking to ANI, former India pacer Mohit Sharma heaped praise on Bhuvneshwar, highlighting the hard work and discipline behind the latter’s return to the national fold.
Citing Bhuvneshwar’s example, Mohit urged youngster to stay consistent, show up to practice every day regardless of selection status, and treat hard work as non-negotiable.
“Youngsters should learn from this how important consistency in life is. Because when you think that something is not coming and you leave all the effort, it does not work. You have to sign a contract with yourself, a non-negotiable one where you promise to give your 100 per cent, maybe more than that, until you are playing. This is the story with Bhuvi. I know him personally and have seen him work hard,” Mohit said.
“You have to wake up the next morning and go again. At that time, that consistency, that discipline, that is what works. And he has got the result now. And I am 100 per cent sure that he is not only playing, but will also do well. Because he has not taken a day off, feeling that if he is not playing, he will not show up for two days, three days- just practice. He did not leave cricket, and he has got the result of that consistency,” he added.
Mohit also discussed Jasprit Bumrah's workload management and his readiness for the 2027 ODI World Cup. He used the "luxurious clothing" analogy to defend the team management's decision to selectively rest Bumrah for certain bilateral series, emphasizing that a bowler of his calibre needs to be kept fresh for major global tournaments.
“He is prepared (for 2027 WC). In all three formats, I don’t think there is a bigger bowler than Bumrah. He is a luxury for Indian cricket. When you wear luxurious clothing, you do not wear it daily to avoid wear and tear. The thing with Bumrah is that the more he plays, he has to play at his best. Especially with the 2027 WC in mind, Bumrah should be allowed to play the way we want, instead of us saying that he missed this series and should have played that series,” Mohit stated.
“It is very easy for us to sit here and talk about why he did not play. We should feel proud to have a bowler like him. His physios, trainers, and dietitians know all the details about his body. They know how to move him forward,” he further remarked.