Bhuvneshwar Kumar's 36-Year-Old Recall: India Bets on Fitness Over Youth
Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns to India's T20I squad at 36, having cut body fat to 14% and taken 28 wickets in the IPL — a signal that proven longevity now outweighs age in the selection calculus.
Four years away from international cricket, Bhuvneshwar Kumar got the call back at 36. He'd cut his body fat from 19 per cent to 14 per cent — six hours of daily training — and took 28 wickets for RCB in the IPL. That was enough to convince India's selectors he belonged in the T20I squad for the five-match series against New Zealand.
Sitanshu Kotak, India's batting coach, pointed to Kumar's IPL form and experience as the reasons. The pacer last played for India in November 2022, also against New Zealand. This time, he's back not because youth has failed, but because a 36-year-old in sharper condition than many bowlers half his age has made the case too loud to ignore.
It's a departure from the usual arc: younger bowlers earn their caps, older ones fade out. Kumar's recall flips that script, at least for now. India's fast-bowling attack will have a veteran who's maintained both fitness and form in domestic and franchise cricket — and selectors have chosen to trust that over recent international experience.
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If Kumar performs, India's next selection meeting becomes harder: other 30-plus bowlers will point to his body fat percentage and ask why they weren't given the same second look. Fitness metrics could become the new currency in recalls — which means franchises now matter more than ever as de facto national team labs.