Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has called for Bhuvneshwar Kumar to return to India’s T20I setup after the veteran pacer delivered a stunning all-round performance in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s dramatic two-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026.Bhuvneshwar starred in RCB’s thrilling last-ball victory in Raipur on Sunday, finishing with superb figures of 4/23 before smashing a crucial six in the final over to guide the defending champions home in a tense chase.Impressed by the veteran’s impact with both ball and bat, Ashwin said Bhuvneshwar had done enough to deserve another chance in India colours.
‘Hashtag BringBackBhuvi’“Hashtag ‘BringBackBhuvi’, I’d love to see him being considered for the T20I side,” Ashwin said on JioStar. “Tick with the new ball, able to complete the death overs nicely, and if you need a six under pressure, he’s hammering that as well in the toughest part of the ground.”Bhuvneshwar ripped through MI’s top order with a masterclass in seam bowling, dismissing Ryan Rickelton, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav during a fiery opening spell on a surface offering movement and uneven bounce.‘That was proper Test-match bowling’Ashwin was particularly impressed with the way the experienced seamer adapted quickly to the conditions.“That was proper Test-match bowling after he realised there was something on the surface. He keeps testing you as an opening batter,” Ashwin said.“To dismiss Rohit Sharma with that peach, a slower ball that just swung, was quite incredible.”The former India spinner also praised Bhuvneshwar’s selfless approach during the death overs.“And later on, he was selfless enough to execute the yorker when he could have gone for a fourth wicket. Extremely happy for him,” he added.Bhuvneshwar’s sensational season continues to gather momentum, with the RCB pacer currently leading the Purple Cap race with 21 wickets in 11 matches. His economy rate of 7.46 is also the best among the top wicket-takers this season, underlining his consistency in both taking wickets and controlling runs.RCB’s win over MI lifted them to the top of the IPL standings while also knocking the five-time champions out of the playoff race.
