The IPL (Indian Premier League) 2026 concluded with Royal Challengers Bengaluru winning their second straight title. The side dominated every team in the tournament throughout and managed to beat Gujarat Titans comfortably in the final to lift the title.ย
There were several performers for the side who put in some brilliant performances, but very few came close to the showing that Bhuvneshwar Kumar put in. In the twilight of his career, Bhuvneshwar Kumar seems to have rediscovered himself as he took 28 wickets to his name in 16 matches.ย
Witnessing his performances, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra took centre stage and talked about the idea of Bhuvneshwar Kumar making his comeback into the Indian team once more.ย
“If you think emotionally, you feel he should be played because if performance is the criterion, what more can anyone do? You should get a chance for sure, but then the question arises whether it will be short-term planning orif you are thinking long-term. White-ball cricket runs in cycles. In T20s, as soon as the World Cup gets over, you start seeing changes within the next six months that prepare you for 2028,” Aakash Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.ย
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India to take on Afghanistan next
Speaking of the Indian teamโs schedule, the side is slated to take on Afghanistan next. The two sides will take on each other across one Test match and three ODIs. The Test match will be held in Mullanpur from June 6, with the ODIs slated to be played in Dharamsala, Lucknow, and Chennai.ย
Ahead of the series, the Indian team has been dealt a major blow as ace batter Virat Kohli will not feature for the Men in Blue in the ODI series. Kohli has been ruled out of the series due to a hamstring injury that he was seen suffering with in the IPL 2026 final as well.ย
Kohli was the driving force behind RCBโs title win as the veteran batter scored 75* runs in 42 deliveries to chase down 156 runs in the final, propelling his side towards their second straight IPL title.ย
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