Bhuvneshwar Kumar slams report of him not wanting to play Test cricket

"Please don’t write your assumptions based on “sources”": Bhuvneshwar Kumar strongly denies that he does not want to play Tests.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has so far taken 63 wickets in 21 Tests, 138 and 45 scalps in 117 ODIs and 48 T20Is. (FILE)

Indian cricket team seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has denied a report which said that he does not want to play Tests any more. Saying he continues to prepare for all three formats irrespective of team selections, Bhuvneshwar questioned which “sources” have given the information that he is focused on T20s.

A report in The Times of India on Saturday quoted sources saying that Bhuvneshwar Kumar has not been selected in the Indian team for the tour of England because he does not want to play Tests.

The report said: “Bhuvneshwar just doesn’t want to play Test cricket anymore. That drive has gone missing… 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.”

READ | Whispering death: Bhuvneshwar Kumar sizzles on return

Story continues below this ad

Following this, Bhuvneshwar took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon, denying the report and saying: “Please don’t write your assumptions based on “sources””.

There have been articles about me not wanting to play Test cricket. Just to clarify, I have always prepared myself for all three formats irrespective of the team selection and will continue to do the same.
Suggestion – please don’t write your assumptions based on “sources”!

— Bhuvneshwar Kumar (@BhuviOfficial) May 15, 2021

Bhuvneshwar Kumar last played a Test for India on a tour of South Africa in 2018.

He made a return from injury to the Indian team for the limited-overs matches against England earlier this year, before playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2021.

Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.