IPL star Bhuvneshwar Kumar shuts the door on India comeback
IPL’s top wicket-taker says he is content with where he stands in his career
Imagine being the highest wicket-taker in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), with his peers propping up the prospect of a return to the Indian team and yet there is the bowler himself, sticking his neck out and stating that an India comeback is not even on his mind!
That’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar for you.
With 21 wickets in 11 matches, the purple cap holder says he does not want to be disappointed again after setting himself such lofty goals. The 36-year-old swing bowler, in a video released by his IPL side Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB) on X, said external conversations around an India return do not occupy his mind anymore.
Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.
"I don't think about India comeback. It's been many years that I've stopped setting long-term goals. Because whenever I've done that, it never worked for me," Bhuvneshwar, who played his last white-ball matches for the Men in Blue in 2022, said.
With several former cricketers and experts recently advocating for his return to the Indian setup following his consistent performances in the IPL, Bhuvneshwar maintained that he is content with where he stands in his career.
"I'm happy that there are 200 matches, there are so many wickets, there's powerplay, there's death. I think it's all reward for what I've done over the years. There have been good years and bad years," he said.
"Honestly, at this point of time, I don't feel anything special. Of course, I'm lying if I say that it won't happen in the future once I stop playing. I think these are all memories that will come in handy later. But at this point of time, I think it's very normal for me," he added.
The medium-pacer further revealed that not getting opportunity in international cricket has allowed him to manage his workload better, as he has time to recover.
"Ever since I've stopped playing for the country, the best thing is that I get a lot of breaks after IPL. I play enough cricket to stay in touch, and I also get enough time to do other things," he said.
While it is really unheard of any player in his prime shutting the door on himself, Bhuvneshwar may have just unlocked the art of performing without expectations.
