Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to the Indian team has been widely welcomed, with the experienced pacer earning his place through consistent performances. However, former India cricketer WV Raman believes the comeback also raises questions about the country’s fast-bowling depth and whether the next generation has done enough to establish itself at the international level. Bhuvneshwar, who last represented India in a T20I in November 2022, has earned a recall for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand after an impressive IPL run.
The 36-year-old has continued to demonstrate his ability to deliver with the ball, proving that experience and consistency still have considerable value in modern T20 cricket. His performances for Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been particularly noteworthy. After playing a key role in RCB’s maiden IPL title triumph, Bhuvneshwar carried that form into the following season. He finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2026, claiming 28 wickets in 16 matches.
While WV Raman praised the veteran pacer for forcing his way back into contention, he argued that India’s other fast bowlers must also take responsibility for the situation. “See, on the one hand, you would obviously admire Bhuvneshwar Kumar for putting up performances and just pushing his way back into the side, but the other side of the coin is that it does give you a little bit to think about, isn’t it?” He added that Bhuvneshwar’s resurgence should prompt a closer look at why other bowlers have struggled to secure their positions.
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“Because here is one guy who’s deemed done and dusted for a while and then suddenly, he makes a strong comeback, and that’s obviously something that you would admire. But it also goes to show that the others have not really done enough to try and keep somebody like Bhuvi out, who has not been firing regularly,” WV Raman said.
Raman acknowledged that modern cricket conditions, particularly batting-friendly pitches, have made life increasingly difficult for fast bowlers. However, he believes those challenges make dedicated coaching and long-term development even more important. He stressed that if Indian cricket is undergoing a transition, the coaching staff must prepare young pacers to handle the demands of international cricket rather than relying solely on their natural ability.
“So the other fact of the matter is that the bowlers, yes, it’s easy to say that they’ve been leaking runs, but they’ve been playing on plump batting tracks. But what I would like to see happen is that if the word transition is being used, then it is incumbent on the fast bowling coach to spend some time with the bowlers when they’re not playing cricket and try and work with them,” WV Raman explained.
The former India women’s team head coach believes the country has no shortage of young fast bowlers with raw pace and potential. The challenge, according to him, is ensuring that their talent translates into consistent performances at the highest level.
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“It’s very critical if you’re talking about young fast bowlers who have the raw pace, who have the talent, they need to be really worked upon. That is where the bowling coach needs to spend a lot more time with the boys to ensure that they are well prepared when they get to play international cricket,” he said.
WV Raman also pointed out that India’s quicks have struggled for consistency despite opportunities in the playing rotation. He called for additional individual training outside the international schedule to help promising bowlers improve their execution and decision-making. Bhuvneshwar’s comeback is therefore more than an individual success story. It also presents an opportunity for India to assess its fast-bowling development system and ensure that its younger options are better prepared for the challenges ahead.
