Former Indian batter and commentator Suresh Raina has backed the seasoned pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to make his way to the ODI World Cup 2027 squad, advising the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee to back the veteran.
With the mega event scheduled to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia next year, the former Indian cricketer reckoned that Bhuvneshwar could play a crucial role for the Indian national side.
Bhuvneshwar racked up 28 wickets in 16 games in the IPL 2026 season and played a crucial role in propelling the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise to its second consecutive IPL title victory.
On the other hand, in the just-concluded UPT20 League 2026 season, he scalped 14 wickets in 11 games at an economy of 6.11. Speaking on the sidelines of the tournament, Raina backed the seasoned pacer to be in the World Cup squad.
“Bhuvi is a seasoned player and should be in the 2027 World Cup team,” Raina said on the sidelines of the UPT20 League.
Raina also heaped praise on Mohammed Shami, highlighting his fitness across red-ball games, advising the national selection committee to have a well-rounded six-bowler pace battery for the prestigious event next year.
“I think Shubman Gill will value the experience of both Bhuvi and Mohammed Shami, and with both Virat and Rohit on the side, this should also be part of their planning,” he added.
“Now it’s up to the selectors to decide what combination they want, whether they will take four specialist pacers or six seamers, including two all-rounders,” Raina stated.
Later, Raina also backed Rinku Singh to emerge as the new KKR captain, advising the franchise’s think tank team to consider him as a leadership option. Rinku Singh-led Meerut Mavericks stunned the Bhuvneshwar Kumar-led Lucknow Falcons in the UPT20 League 2026 final to lift the silverware.
“Rinku has proven big-match temperament and tactical acumen, and I urged KKR to consider him for the captaincy,” he concluded.
