Bhuvneshwar Kumar Rubbishes 'Reports' About Not Wanting To Play Tests

Reiterating that he has prepared himself to play all three formats in cricket, Bhuvneshwar Kumar said that he has no plans of quitting Test cricket. This is contrary to what had been suggested by "sources" of a major Indian newspaper.

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Bhuvneshwar Kumar has one piece of advice for sports journalists - "please don’t write your assumptions based on 'sources' ” The fast-bowler clarified himself after a report in TOI suggested that he is "not interested" in playing Test cricket and only focussing on "T20 opportunities".  Bhuvneshwar Kumar wrote that he is very much interested in Test cricket and has prepared himself to take part in all three forms of the game. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar wrote: "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”!"

Earlier, a report in TOI had quoted a source saying, “[Bhuvneshwar Kumar is] focusing on the next T20 opportunities coming up. 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."

Recently, the fast-bowler was not selected for the World Test Championship Final squad that is scheduled to travel for England in the last week of May. 

Indian team for WTC Final: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul (subject to fitness clearance), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper; subject to fitness clearance).

Standby players: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Arzan Nagwaswalla