A lot has been written about Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s omission from Virat Kohli-led India’s 20-man squad for the forthcoming tour of the United Kingdom, where they will play the ICC World Test Championship final — versus New Zealand — and five Tests against England.
Given that Bhuvi is widely regarded as a swing king and returned with 19 Test wickets along with three fifties during India’s 2014 tour of England, the 31-year-old was expected to feature in the squad; further bolstering the side’s already potent pace attack. However, his absence surprised many.
While some thought he was left out for India’s limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka, in mid-July, a certain section believed his fitness hasn’t been up to the mark, forcing selectors to sideline him from the purest format.
Amid all this, multiple reports have suggested that Bhuvi isn’t keen to play Tests anymore, explaining his omission.
“Bhuvneshwar just doesn’t want to play Test cricket anymore. That drive has gone missing,” they add.
“To be honest, the selectors don’t even see Bhuvi hungry for 10 overs, forget Test cricket. It’s Team India’s loss no doubt, because if one bowler should have made it to England, it should have been him,” said those tracking developments as per TOI.
The report further reads “Ishant has been the backbone of India’s attack, and rightly so, but when was the last time he worked his way through an entire series? Injury relapses and niggles have been a constant irritant. That will leave the bulk of the responsibility on two pacers, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. Their hard work, recent performances and the ability to deal with the given conditions has been a plus. Umesh is around, but he’s been a lottery at most times.
“Also, expect Avesh Khan to be a find during this tour, regardless of whether he gets a Test match or not,” added the source.
