BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla has publicly stated that selectors are monitoring Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s performances and should consider him for an India recall. The statement, made in a video interview on September 7, 2026, is the strongest endorsement of Bhuvneshwar’s comeback from a sitting BCCI official.
“Selectors are taking note of Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s performances. He is doing very well, and everyone believes the selectors should consider him. The decision is up to them, but one thing is clear.”
Rajiv Shukla, video interview, September 7, 2026
Shukla’s comments came a day after the UPT20 League 2026 final, where Bhuvneshwar’s Lucknow Falcons lost to Rinku Singh’s Meerut Mavericks. The 36-year-old has not played for India since November 22, 2022, a T20I against New Zealand. That is nearly four years without an international cap.
The numbers behind Shukla’s statement tell the full story. Bhuvneshwar’s 2026 has been the most productive season of his career at any level.
| Tournament | Matches | Wickets | Economy | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL 2026 (RCB) | 16 | 28 | 7.95 | 4/23 vs MI |
| UPT20 2026 (Lucknow Falcons) | 11 | 14 | Under 6 | 4/10 vs Meerut |
His 28 IPL wickets made him the highest-scoring Indian fast bowler in a single IPL season. He finished second overall in the Purple Cap race behind Kagiso Rabada. RCB defended their title with Bhuvneshwar as the bowling spearhead, and he took 2/29 in the final against Gujarat Titans.
In the UPT20 League, he captained the Lucknow Falcons to the final after a rocky start of three straight losses. His 4/10 in the Qualifier 1 against Meerut Mavericks on September 3, conceding just 10 runs in four overs with 18 dot balls, was the spell that sealed the playoff. He dismissed Akshay Dubey with a return catch off a slower ball, had Rituraj Sharma lbw first ball, then removed Divyansh Rajput and Divyansh Joshi to break the chase completely. Lucknow won by 47 runs.
The final on September 6 went the other way. Divyansh Joshi scored 105 off 40 balls, Meerut posted 203/7, and the Falcons were bowled out for 109. Bhuvneshwar remained unbeaten as the last man standing.
🔴BCCI VICE PRESIDENT ON BHUVNESHWAR KUMAR TEAM INDIA COMEBACK 🤯
Rajiv Shukla🎙️: Selectors are taking note of Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s performances. He is doing very well, and everyone believes the selectors should consider him. The decision is up to them, but one thing is clear -… pic.twitter.com/kTyoRWlfQl
— Sam (@cricsam02) September 7, 2026
Bhuvneshwar’s own response to the comeback debate has been measured but clear. When asked directly in August whether he would accept an India call, he left no room for interpretation.
“Why would I say no if I get a call? Absolutely ready.”
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, KhelNow interview, August 2026
In the same period, he told Times of Sports: “What everyone is saying is their opinion. My job is simply to play cricket.” He has also spoken about finding peace with his situation, crediting his family for never discussing selection at home. “When you’re a core member of a team, everyone says: ‘Team comes first.’ But when you’re no longer in the team, naturally you feel: ‘Maybe I should still be there,'” he told Yahoo Sports.
That tension between acceptance and desire has defined his public stance all year. He wants to play. He will not chase it.
He is not alone in making the case. Ravichandran Ashwin called for his return on JioHotstar’s Match Centre Live in May after Bhuvneshwar’s 4/23 spell dismantled Mumbai Indians. “BringBackBhuvi. I would love to see him being considered for the T20I side. He ticks every box: lethal with the new ball, disciplined at the death,” Ashwin said.
Ashwin went further in June, specifically naming the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa as the target. “Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a yes. I would tell him to do all the tournaments, first class, the Vijay Hazare, everything. And get him ready for South Africa. I think we would require him there.”
Shukla himself had praised Bhuvneshwar after the IPL final on June 1. “The revival of Bhuvneshwar Kumar was amazing. The kind of bowling he did was amazing,” the BCCI VP told reporters in Ahmedabad.
The selectors, however, have not moved. Bhuvneshwar was not picked for India’s T20I or ODI squads after the IPL. The reasons are straightforward: four years without international cricket means no recent data at the highest level. He will turn 37 before the 2027 World Cup. Indian selectors have shifted toward investing in younger fast bowlers who offer longer career cycles. The selection committee views franchise performances as insufficient evidence for international readiness on their own.
Bhuvneshwar is the best-performing Indian fast bowler in domestic cricket in 2026. That has not been enough. The question Shukla’s statement forces is whether political pressure from a BCCI office-bearer changes the calculation.
Insider Read
A BCCI Vice President saying “selectors should consider him” is not a selection instruction. Indian selectors operate independently from the board’s administrative wing. Shukla cannot call Ajit Agarkar and tell him to pick Bhuvneshwar. That is not how the structure works.
But it is not nothing either. When a sitting office-bearer says it on camera, it creates a public expectation that selectors now have to either meet or visibly reject. The next squad announcement becomes a referendum on whether they agree with the VP or not. That is pressure, even if it is not power. Shukla is also from Uttar Pradesh, the same state Bhuvneshwar represents. The political dimension is impossible to ignore. Whether this is a genuine push for selection or a popular statement that costs nothing to make, only the next squad will answer.
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