It looks like Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir cannot get Bhuvneshwar Kumar out of the discussion.
Whenever it feels like Bhuvi has moved away from the Indian team setup, he comes up with another performance that forces everyone to ask the same question again — why is Bhuvneshwar Kumar not in India’s plans?
And the veteran pacer is doing it again.
After strong IPL performances in 2025 and an even better IPL 2026, Bhuvneshwar is now delivering consistently for Lucknow Falcons in the UP T20 League 2026.
At 36, he is still swinging the new ball, controlling runs in the powerplay and picking up wickets.
And looking at the way he is bowling, Bhuvi certainly doesn’t look like a man ready to give up.
The big question is obvious.
Can Bhuvneshwar Kumar force his way back into India’s ODI plans for the 2027 World Cup?
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Keeps Knocking on the Door
Bhuvneshwar’s international absence is nothing new.
India have moved towards younger fast bowlers over the last few years, while players such as Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna have remained around the white-ball setup.
But Bhuvneshwar keeps producing performances that make it difficult to completely forget him.
That was visible in the IPL.
In IPL 2025, playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Bhuvneshwar took 17 wickets in 14 innings.
Then came IPL 2026.
And this time, he was even better.
Bhuvneshwar finished IPL 2026 with 28 wickets from 16 matchesconceding at an economy of 7.95. His best figures were 4/23.
That is 45 IPL wickets across two seasons.
For a bowler supposedly moving towards the end of his career, those numbers deserve attention.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Now Leading Lucknow Falcons in UP T20 League
Bhuvi has carried that rhythm into the UP T20 League.
He is representing Lucknow Falcons in the 2026 season and has also been captaining the side.
Lucknow Falcons have built their bowling attack around his experience, with Bhuvneshwar operating mainly with the new ball and controlling the powerplay.
And his performances have been extremely consistent.
This is exactly what makes the discussion interesting.
It is not one good match.
It is happening again and again.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s UP T20 League 2026 Bowling Figures
Let’s look at his performances match by match.
Against Gorakhpur Lions, Bhuvneshwar bowled three overs and returned figures of:
3 overs, 17 runs, 1 wicket.
An economy of just 5.67.
Then came Noida Super Kings.
This time Bhuvi bowled his full quota and delivered:
4 overs, 1 maiden, 17 runs, 1 wicket.
In a T20 match, bowling a maiden and conceding only 17 runs from four overs is serious control.
Against Meerut Mavericks, his figures were:
2 overs, 15 runs, 1 wicket.
Then came his off day against Kanpur Superstars.
He conceded:
4 overs, 38 runs, 0 wickets.
It happens.
Every bowler has a day when the rhythm isn’t there, and Sameer Rizvi and the Kanpur batting unit went after him.
But what did Bhuvneshwar do in the next match?
He immediately came back.
Against Noida Super Kings, he bowled:
4 overs, 1 maiden, 19 runs, 0 wickets.
No wicket, yes.
But only 19 runs from four overs in a T20 game, including a maiden. That is control.
Then against Kashi Rudras on August 24, Bhuvi returned:
3 overs, 25 runs, 1 wicket.
He dismissed Upendra Yadav in that match.
And according to the latest figures from the August 25 contest mentioned in our report, Bhuvneshwar produced another superb spell of:
4 overs, 20 runs and 3 wickets.
Even before completing his spell, he had taken three wickets for just 13 runs in his first three overs.
This is exactly why Bhuvi keeps coming back into the discussion.
Flat Pitches, Powerplay Bowling and Still Giving Nothing Away
There is another part of these numbers that matters.
Bhuvneshwar is not protecting himself by bowling only in easier phases of the innings.
He is bowling with the new ball.
He is operating in the powerplay when batters have only two fielders outside the circle.
And yet, in several games, his economy has stayed around five runs an over.
That is Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s biggest skill.
He doesn’t need express pace.
He doesn’t need to bowl at 145 kmph.
Give him a little movement and he can make the new ball talk.
He can swing it away.
He can bring it back.
He can change his pace.
And when the ball stops swinging, he still has the slower ball and knuckle ball.
This is why Bhuvi remains difficult to hit even at this stage of his career.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Is Getting Better With Age
This is the most interesting thing about Bhuvi.
Generally, fast bowlers become less effective as they get older.
With Bhuvneshwar, his pace may not be what it once was, but his understanding of bowling is probably better than ever.
He knows where a batter wants to hit him.
He understands lengths.
He knows when to attack the stumps and when to stay outside off.
And because his game has never been completely dependent on pace, age has not destroyed his biggest strength.
His biggest strength was always skill.
Swing.
Control.
Movement.
And intelligence.
Those things are still there.
Why Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s Name Keeps Returning to Team India Discussion
This is where Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir come into the picture.
India have clearly invested in younger fast bowlers.
That is understandable.
The selectors have to think about the future, and they need to build a pace attack that can survive multiple ICC tournaments.
But the 2027 ODI World Cup is now getting closer.
And when that tournament is being played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibiaexperience with the new ball could become extremely valuable.
Conditions in South Africa, in particular, can offer movement to seamers.
Now imagine Bhuvneshwar Kumar with a new ball in those conditions.
That is why this discussion refuses to disappear.
Bumrah, Arshdeep and Bhuvneshwar in South Africa?
Just think about the combination.
Jasprit Bumrah from one end.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar from the other.
Then Arshdeep Singh giving you left-arm variation.
On South African pitches, that could be a very interesting attack.
Bumrah gives you pace, accuracy and the ability to bowl at every stage of the innings.
Arshdeep gives you left-arm swing and variation.
Bhuvi gives you experience and traditional new-ball movement.
Would India definitely win the World Cup with those three?
Of course, nobody can say that.
But would Bhuvneshwar strengthen India’s bowling options if he continues bowling like this?
That question deserves to be asked.
Age or Performance – What Should Selectors Look At?
This is where the debate will become interesting.
Bhuvneshwar was born in February 1990.
So, by the time the 2027 World Cup arrives, he will be 37.
That is the biggest argument against his comeback.
India might prefer a younger bowler who can remain part of the setup for several years.
Fair enough.
But World Cups are not won by birth certificates.
They are won by players performing under pressure.
If Bhuvneshwar continues taking wickets, stays fit and keeps outperforming younger options, then age alone should not close the door.
Selection has to be based on what a player can offer at that particular time.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Has Serious ODI Experience
Another thing that cannot be ignored is experience.
Bhuvneshwar has played 121 ODIs for India and taken 141 wickets.
He has also played 87 T20Is and 21 Tests.
That means you are not talking about an inexperienced domestic player hoping to handle international pressure for the first time.
You are talking about a bowler who has played World Cups, Champions Trophy matches, IPL playoffs and high-pressure international games.
He understands what international cricket demands.
The only question is whether India believe he can still do it in 2027.
Can Bhuvneshwar Kumar Really Play ODI World Cup 2027?
At this stage, saying Bhuvneshwar Kumar will play the ODI World Cup 2027 would be too early.
He has not played international cricket for India for several years, and there are younger fast bowlers ahead of him in the current setup.
He would first need to return to India’s ODI squad.
Then he would need to prove that his body can handle 50-over cricket consistently.
And then he would need to remain in form all the way to the World Cup.
That is a long road.
But is the door completely closed?
Looking at the way Bhuvi is bowling, it should not be.
The selectors may have moved forward, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar is making sure his name does not disappear.
And perhaps that is his biggest statement right now.
He is not asking for sympathy. He is asking everyone to look at his performances.
If he keeps doing this, the question around his 2027 World Cup chances will only become louder.
Bhuvi does not seem ready to surrender.
And if he wants one final shot at an ODI World Cup, he is certainly doing everything possible on the field to keep that dream alive.