He Never Chased That Reward: Ashwin Reveals What Really Drove Bhuvneshwar Kumar's India Comeback

Ravichandran Ashwin believes Bhuvneshwar Kumar's return to India's T20I setup is the reward for consistency rather than the result of chasing an international comeback. The veteran pacer earned a recall to the national squad after impressing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL, and Ashwin credited that single-minded focus for his return.

Bhuvneshwar's selection for India's upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, beginning next week, was one of the major talking points following the squad announcement. The right-arm pacer is set to return to international T20 cricket after a gap of four years.

'He has gone on his own journey'

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin suggested that Bhuvneshwar remained focused on improving his bowling and fulfilling his responsibilities for RCB rather than worrying about a potential India recall.

"I have a feeling that Bhuvneshwar Kumar hasn't even thought about a comeback. I think this will be his mantra for success. And when I'm watching him from afar, I have also experienced this myself, he has gone on his own journey," Ashwin said.

"He has focused on doing well, bowling well with the new ball and performing for RCB. Whatever he could do, he did it. His recall is the reward for his success. He never chased that reward; he simply did his job and success followed," he added.

How the recall came about

Bhuvneshwar's return followed a standout IPL campaign, with the 36-year-old finishing as the joint-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2026 with 28 wickets for RCB. In earlier reporting on October 9, 2026, it was noted that he had cut his body fat from 19% to 14% under personal coach Surya Pratap Yadav as part of a drive for longevity at 36.

His last appearance for India came on November 22, 2022, against New Zealand, meaning the New Zealand series will mark his first international T20 outing in four years. The selection drew praise from former India players Suresh Raina, Kris Srikkanth, Virender Sehwag and Mohammad Kaif following the squad announcement.

Why it matters

Ashwin's assessment frames the recall as a case study in patience: a seasoned bowler who rebuilt his body and his output at franchise level, then let the results speak for themselves. With the series in New Zealand looming, India will hope that the same new-ball discipline that impressed for RCB translates into an international return four years in the making.