Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has backed veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a return to the national T20I setup after the pacer produced another match-winning display against Mumbai Indians in the ongoing IPL 2026. Notably, the RCB pacer delivered one of the standout performances of the season during his teamโs tense victory over Mumbai Indians in Raipur.
The 36-year-old claimed four wickets in the match and with the bat, he smashed a crucial six in the final over of a nervy chase. His six to Raj Bawa released some much-needed pressure on RCB, who eventually secured a two-wicket win. On the bowling front, Bhuvneshwar has already claimed 21 wickets and is currently the leading wicket-taker.
Notably, Ashwin has been mightily impressed with the veteranโs control and adaptability on a difficult surface that assisted seam bowlers throughout the contest. Now, he wants the fans to call for Bhuvneshwarโs inclusion and highlighted how his Test-match bowling has done the trick this year.
“Hashtag ‘BringBackBhuvi’, I would love to see him being considered for the T20I side. Tick with the new ball, able to complete the death overs nicely, and if you need a six under pressure, he is hammering that as well in the toughest part of the ground. That was proper Test-match bowling after he realised there was something in the surface. He keeps testing you as an opening batter,” Ashwin said on JioHotstarโs โMatch Centre Liveโ.
Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar last represented India during the semifinal of the 2022 T20 World Cup against England in Adelaide. Despite remaining out of the national side since then, his consistency this IPL season has reignited discussions about a possible comeback.
Sunil Gavaskar calls for experiment in MIย
Following the defeat to RCB, Mumbai are officially out of the playoffs race. Keeping that in mind, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar advised the team management to give opportunities to the youngsters and analyse their growth.
โIn T20 cricket, ups and downs are bound to happen. Once the season ends, thatโs the right time to properly assess what went wrong. But at this stage, my view is that the senior players have given everything they had. Now, it may be the right opportunity to give younger players a chance in the remaining matches. That will help the franchise understand how these youngsters handle pressure and whether they can justify the faith shown in them,โ Gavaskar said.ย
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