Bhuvneshwar, 36, last played for India came in late 2022. So far, he has played 21 Tests, 121 ODIs and 87 T20Is and the right-arm pacer, who was a member of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) side winning IPL 2026, noted that having already fulfilled his dream of representing the country, he feels no lingering pressure to prove himself.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I\u2019m 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. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI\u2019ve already played for India. That\u2019s not something I have to achieve now. If I get another opportunity, that\u2019s great, but I\u2019ve been there. Everything I\u2019m doing now is because of my love for the game. I know I have to stay disciplined. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Reflecting on his life away from playing international cricket, the right-arm bowler credited his family environment for helping him move forward without any sense of regret or 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\u2019ll get back into the Indian team, why I wasn\u2019t selected, or what went wrong. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThat played a big role, and there is no regret. When you\u2019re a core member of a team, everyone says: 'Team comes first.' But when you\u2019re no longer in the team, naturally you feel: 'Maybe I should still be there.'<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I understand that transitions are a part of sport. I understand that generations change. I\u2019m not the first player to experience this, and I certainly won\u2019t be the last. That is part of the game. Family plays a big role. I am happy being where I am,\" he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bhuvneshwar, who finished IPL 2026 with 28 wickets in 16 matches, pointed to the T20 league and the forward-thinking approach of former captain Virat Kohli and ex-coach Ravi Shastri as catalyst for fast bowling evolution in the country.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cOur 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 \u2013 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. <\/p>\r\n\r\n