Bhuvneshwar Kumar has sparked speculation about his future after making a small change to his Instagram bio. The 33-year-old seamer last represented India in November of last year, during a T20I match in New Zealand. However, he was subsequently dropped for the home series against the BlackCaps and Sri Lanka. Bhuvneshwar was also not included in the Indian squad for the three ODIs against Australia. Despite playing in all 14 games for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, the quick bowler has not been seen in action since then.
What adds to the mystery is that Bhuvneshwar has not been reported as injured. Furthermore, he has not played any competitive cricket, including domestic matches, since the IPL in 2023.
On Friday, observant Twitter users noticed that Bhuvneshwar removed the word "Cricketer" from his bio. Previously described as an Indian cricketer, his current profile simply states "Indian." This change has led many to question whether the swing king has played his last match for India.
According to a report from TheCricketLounge, it appears that Bhuvneshwar Kumar may be on the verge of announcing his retirement from international cricket following the India vs Ireland series. Additionally, the report suggests that Ravichandran Ashwin may also consider stepping away from limited overs cricket.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was included in the T20 World Cup squad in November 2022, where he participated in four matches and managed to secure three wickets. However, his performance in the last T20I against New Zealand in Napier was lackluster, as he failed to take any wickets in the four overs he bowled. Furthermore, he was not selected for the T20I series against West Indies.
To add to his woes, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was not included in the BCCI's contract this year and is not expected to be part of the upcoming ODI World Cup either.
Throughout his career, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has represented India in 21 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 48 T20Is, accumulating 63, 132, and 49 wickets respectively. Notably, he holds the distinction of being the only Indian bowler to achieve five-wicket hauls in all three formats of the game.
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