Ajit Agarkar Urged to Communicate With Bhuvneshwar Kumar for ODI World Cup 2027 By Ex-India Star

Veteran fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has forced his way back into the national selection conversation following a spectacular IPL 2026 campaign for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Several former cricketers now believe the seasoned pacer should be in the mix for the 2027 ODI World Cup, with former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin strongly advocating for his return.

Bhuvneshwar had a stellar IPL season, picking up 28 wickets to finish as the leading wicket-taker for the eventual champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Despite this commanding performance, the 36-year-old has not played for the Indian national team since November 2022. His last appearance in the 50-over format was during a match against South Africa on January 21, 2022.

However, with the 2027 ODI World Cup scheduled to take place across South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, Ashwin feels India will desperately need Bhuvneshwar’s experience in those conditions.

Ashwin Wants Selectors to Open Dialogue

During a ‘Yes, No or Maybe’ segment on Cricinfo, Ashwin was asked to build his ideal squad for India’s upcoming World Cup campaign.

While making his picks, Ashwin confidently placed regulars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj in the ‘yes’ category. Meanwhile, he placed Mohammed Shami, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the ‘maybe’ pile. Players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and Gurnoor Brar were filed under ‘no’.

While evaluating the names, the off-spinner urged the BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, to actively communicate with the veteran swing bowler.

“But where is Bhuvneshwar Kumar? He is a yes; I would communicate with him and get him to play all first-class tournaments, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and everything,” Ashwin said during the show. “And get him prime going to South Africa, I think we’ll need him.”

Bhuvneshwar boasts an impressive record in 50-over cricket, having claimed 141 wickets in 121 ODIs with best figures of 5/42.

However, forcing a comeback might prove difficult given the current strategy used by Ajit Agarkar’s selection panel. Over recent ODI series, the Indian management has shown a clear preference for taller, hit-the-deck fast bowlers who can consistently generate extra pace and bounce.

Alongside established stars like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, the committee is expected to give a majority of the opportunities to younger, taller pacers like Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna as the build-up to the 2027 World Cup continues.