The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the India Test squad for the upcoming inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) against New Zealand as well as the five-match Test series against England. With much surprise, they didn’t add the pace spearhead, Bhuvneshwar Kumar. While his inclusion would help the team in the overcast seamer-friendly condition in the UK, many thought that it’s his niggle that ruled him out as well.
Notably, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has played five Tests and claimed 19 wickets which also included a sensational six for 82 at Lord’s in 2014 in England as well. However, according to a report in TOI, the pace bowler is not interested in playing the longer format anymore and he wants to play in more T20 leagues as well.
“Bhuvneshwar Kumar just does not want to play Test cricket anymore. That drive has gone missing. Those who have seen him from close insist he brought in a huge change in his work-drills a couple of seasons ago, doing away with heavy-weight training, falling to the lure of white-ball comfort, and avoiding those hours of long spells that are so integral to red-ball cricket,” a source tracking the developments closely said to TOI.
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“To be honest, the selectors don’t even see Bhuvi hungry for 10 overs, forget Test cricket. It’s Team India’s loss no doubt, because if one bowler should have made it to England, it should have been him,” the source further added.
Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who last played a Test match in January 2018, has had multiple injury issues which have kept him away from the team too. The speedster, who returned with a bang in the limited-overs series against England before the IPL 2021, has shared that he wants to return in the longest format as well.
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“I was unfit for a very long time, it’s on my mind that the England tour and a few important series are coming up so I will try to stay fit. I have not ruled out red-ball cricket. My preparation would also keep the red-ball format in mind. It is a different matter as to what happens in Test selection. Workload management in IPL would keep red-ball cricket in mind. I want to play Tests, so I will try to stay ready for the longest format,” he had earlier said.
