Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer has expressed his views on the veteran Indian pacers Mohammed Siraj and Bhuvneshwar Kumar being ignored for the national team by the current national selection committee.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Jaffer asserted that the veteran pacers are not being considered or recalled to the Indian setup despite performing well across domestic cricket and T20 leagues.
“I am excited to look at the New Zealand series. I am hopeful for Shami. If he is not picked there, it is clear that selectors are looking beyond him. Even Bhuvi’s case is saddening. It feels bad when someone is performing, has good fitness, and the numbers are there. I have gone through these things, so I understand how it feels,” Jaffer said on his YouTube channel.
Further, Jaffer reckoned that Bhuvneshwar should have had a longer career for India in T20Is. For the unversed, Bhuvi has played 121 ODIs and 87 T20Is, having made his international debut in 2012.
“Bhuvi should have played more. Test cricket, he had injury issues, yes. There, the workload is more. He may not have been able to handle it, but for sure, in white-ball and especially T20, his career should have been longer,” he added.
Bhuvi played a pivotal role in consecutive title wins for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In the last two IPL seasons, he has picked up 45 wickets from 30 matches at an average of 21.87.
While Bhuvneshwar last played for India in a T20I in November 2022 against New Zealand, Shami’s last game came in an ODI in March 2025 against New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy.
