‘Why not?’: Ashwin makes strong case for Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to India ahead of 2027 World Cup | Cricket News

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (ANI image)

Former India off-spinner R Ashwin throwing his weight behind Bhuvneshwar KumarThe return to the national setup, has encouraged selectors to consider the veteran fast bowler as India prepares for the 2027 ODI World Cup.Ashwin believes that the current Indian pace attack lacks the experience required for a major ICC tournament and pointed to Bhuvneshwar’s recent success with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Indian Premier League as evidence that the 36-year-old still has a lot to offer.Bhuvneshwar has played a key role in RCB’s back-to-back IPL title-winning campaigns, claiming 45 wickets in the last two seasons. His consistent performances helped the franchise end its long wait for a trophy before successfully defending the title.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin argued that Bhuvneshwar deserves to be in contention for a spot in the World Cup, especially because of his versatility and ability to contribute in multiple phases of the game.“Why not? The way our fast bowling stocks are now, there is some struggle there. I think it is worth considering Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Why don’t you consider him? There is only one difference between Shami and Bhuvneshwar. Bhuvi has managed to put himself on the park for two seasons together for RCB and has managed to keep himself fit. He seems to fit the bill. I’m not saying to take him immediately, but at least give him a chance and then make a decision. He can swing the ball, give you overs at the death and bat a bit too. He has a lot of batting ability,” said Ashwin.The former spinner also questioned whether India’s relatively inexperienced fast-bowling unit is ready for the pressures of the World Cup campaign. While acknowledging the promise shown by the young pacers, he felt that a combination of youth and experience would be a more balanced approach.“Just because of the pure inexperience of the bowling attack, you can consider him. Gurnoor, Prasidh, and Prince – is that the bowling you want to play in a World Cup? I’m not sure. You can take one or two out of it. Apart from that, you have Harshit and Bumrah. So with Bhuvneshwar, the experience and youth is very good,” he added.Ashwin further emphasized that India should now focus on settling their pace attack instead of continuing to experiment, with the World Cup just a year away.According to him, the selectors have given opportunities to many fast bowlers and now need to find the core group while keeping Bhuvneshwar firmly in the conversation.“It’s not the time to develop players now with 12 months to go. You’ve given Harshit an opportunity, and it’s important to know his status now as he’s batting eight. Gurnoor and Prasidh have got opportunities. But you can’t take it and bring in more bowlers now. It’s important to know who your four or five pacers are, where you take three for the World Cup.