Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar reckons that Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be expected to make to the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, adding the senior fast bowler worked hard to recover from a recent slump in form. The former captain said Bhuvneshwar did not just be in eth team on his past laurels but worked his way to get back into the reckoning.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar scalped a couple of wickets and conceded just 9 runs in his 2-over spell in the first T20I against Sri Lanka on Thursday. The senior pacer was in fine form in the T20I series against the West Indies, being miserly in the 2 matches he played. He has been able to improve his pace and trouble the opposition with swing after looking flat in the ODI series in South Africa where he was taken to the cleaners. 

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Talking about the pacer during a chat on Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar said, “He is again making a point. Yes, he had a pretty ordinary series in South Africa. But he has come back well. Again, look at the competition, nobody can take his place for granted. He has been a senior bowler for such a long time, the moment he slipped a little bit and questions were asked about him, he has picked himself up.”

Sunil Gavaskar further elaborated, “He hasn’t gone into a shell, thinking ‘oh what is going to happen?’. He has worked harder, he has looked at his bowling and he is trying to get better with every passing day. And that’s what is important. He is not resting on his laurels. He is saying with the extra pace and the bounce that I will get in Australia, he will in the frame.”

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Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be facing stiff competition as India has plenty of opinions in the pace-bowling department for the T20 World Cup. With the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Deepak Chahar, and Shardul Thakur putting their hand up with consistent performances, India will be looking at options to pair with Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.

India managed to restrict Sri Lanka to a below-par total of 137/6 in the first T20I after posting 199 on the board, owing to the brilliant knocks of Ishan Kishan’s match-winning 89. The two teams will meet in the 2nd ODI in Dharamsala on Saturday.