Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar stated he is "absolutely ready" if an international recall happens for the 2027 ODI World Cup, noting that any selection decisions are up to the BCCI Selectors.
While former cricketers like Ravichandran Ashwin and Dinesh Karthik have publicly called for his India return, Bhuvneshwar maintained that his primary focus is simply playing the game he loves.
Bhuvneshwar, who is currently representing Lucknow Falcons in the UPT20 League, served as a vital architect in RCB’s historic back-to-back IPL championship campaigns. In the 2026 season, he was phenomenal, picking up 28 wickets and finishing with the best economy rate among the top five wicket-takers.
With India's current fast bowling depth struggling and facing injury crisis, Bhuvneshwar is seen as someone who can bring both experience and pedigree to the lineup. However, he is not actively chasing a spot, emphasizing that playing cricket remains his core passion regardless of the team.
“Why would I say no if I get a call? Absolutely ready,” Bhuvneshwar said when asked by Aaj Tak about possible selection for the 2027 World Cup.
“Honestly, I cannot say exactly how ready I am. My job is to play cricket and that is why I have come here to play in the UP T20 league. I didn’t come here with the intention of moving to another place or reaching another level,” he added.
“We play IPL knowing we have to perform and win matches for the team, but I didn’t come here to the UP T20 league hoping to get picked elsewhere or because someone said something. How prepared I am is not for me to decide; the rest is the selectors’ call,” he continued.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has played 121 ODIs for India, claiming 141 wickets at an average of 35.11 and an economy rate of 5.08. His last ODI appearance was in January 2022 against South Africa at Boland Park.
Despite playing the last of his 21 Tests in January 2018, Bhuvneshwar has continued playing first class cricket. For now, he is not thinking about whether he will feature in the Ranji Trophy or not this year.
“There’s still plenty of time, and a lot of cricket to be played before that. I can’t say right now whether I’ll play first-class cricket or not, but my aim is to keep playing as much cricket as I can,” Bhuvneshwar remarked.
