Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has spoken openly about life after being dropped from the Indian team, saying he now plays purely for the love of the game and has found peace with his current place in the sport.
Speaking on the RCB Podcast - Life in Cricket, released on Sunday, August 2, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer explained how family support helped him accept the transition and credited Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri for shaping India’s modern pace attack.
Bhuvneshwar enjoyed a strong IPL 2026 season, taking 28 wickets in 16 matches as RCB claimed their first title. Even though he is no longer a regular in the national setup, the experienced seamer said his passion for cricket still keeps him going in franchise and domestic cricket.
“I’m playing the IPL and domestic cricket because I love the game. When you’re young and playing for India, you say you love the game. But honestly, things like ‘control the controllables’, ‘don’t overthink’, or ‘playing for the passion of the game’ – I can actually feel those things now.
“I’ve already played for India. That’s not something I have to achieve now. If I get another opportunity, that’s great, but I’ve been there. Everything I’m doing now is because of my love for the game. I know I have to stay disciplined. I play domestic cricket, I play the UP T20 League. I make sure I play enough cricket to stay in touch, while also giving myself enough breaks to recover and stay refreshed,” Bhuvneshwar said on the RCB Podcast episode on Sunday.
The 36-year-old also shared that his family’s support has helped him move on without holding on to what might have been. While he admitted every player wants to represent India, he said he understands that change is natural in sport and has accepted it without bitterness.
“I am absolutely at peace, and I give credit to my family. At home, we never talk about cricket. We never talk about whether I’ll get back into the Indian team, why I wasn’t selected, or what went wrong.
🗣️ Bhuvi: “𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩” 😮💨 Bhuvi looks back at that unforgettable finish against MI, the range-hitting sessions he had with DK that gave him the belief to go big, handling pressure in crunch moments, and why the team will always come… pic.twitter.com/KJhWGQDCFo
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) August 2, 2026
“That played a big role, and there is no regret. When you’re a core member of a team, everyone says: ‘Team comes first.’ But when you’re no longer in the team, naturally you feel ‘Maybe I should still be there.’
“I understand that transitions are a part of sport. I understand that generations change. I’m not the first player to experience this, and I certainly won’t be the last. That is part of the game. Family plays a big role. I am happy being where I am,” he added.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar reveals Virat Kohli's role in transforming India's fast bowlers
Bhuvneshwar also gave credit to the IPL for consistently producing quality fast bowlers and praised Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri for their long-term vision of creating a strong Indian pace unit. He recalled how the team management even prepared seam-friendly pitches for home Tests ahead of big overseas tours so the bowlers could adapt better.
“The IPL deserves a lot of credit because it exposed so many talented fast bowlers to high-level cricket. You bring them to the setup, and they mature over time. Traditionally, Indian pitches favoured spin, while overseas conditions suited fast bowling. But during that period, a lot of credit goes to Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri. They had a clear vision.
“I remember we had important overseas tours coming up. Before those tours, even our home Test matches were played on pitches that helped fast bowlers, simply to prepare us. That showed their vision: they were about building a pace attack. Small decisions like that matter a lot,” he noted.
Looking back on his early days in Meerut, Bhuvneshwar paid tribute to former India seamer Praveen Kumar. He explained how watching his seniors from the same academy helped shape his own bowling basics.
“We come from the same academy. When I first joined, he was already playing state cricket. By the time I reached state level, he was playing for India. Our bowling styles were naturally very similar. When I was younger, I was too shy to keep asking him questions. Instead, I simply observed him. Not just him, my coaches and senior players too. Looking back, I realise how lucky I was. The guidance I received during those years built the strong bowling fundamentals that I still rely on today,” he concluded.
