When Did Bhuvneshwar Kumar Last Play for India? Career Highlights & Stats Trend
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s last match for India came in November 2022, which saw him play in the third T20I against New Zealand in McLean Park, Napier. This was the last match he played for India till his recall in the T20I team of India in October 2026. He was out of international cricket for nearly four years though he was consistently playing domestic and franchise cricket during this period. Through this time, he worked hard on his bowling and fitness. Bhuvneshwar Kumar kept making his presence felt in the IPL so that he could earn a place back in the Indian squad.
When Did Bhuvneshwar Kumar Last Play for India?
The last time that Bhuvneshwar Kumar played for India was against New Zealand on November 22, 2022. The last match ended without any result as rain disrupted India’s batting innings. In the last match, Kumar took 4 overs, gave away 35 runs but did not take a single wicket while New Zealand scored 160/3. Prior to that match, he was in the Indian squad in the T20 World Cup which was held in Australia in 2022. His last ODI match was against South Africa on January 21, 2022.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s International Career Highlights
Bhuvneshwar Kumar made his India debut against Pakistan in December 2012. He was famous for his ability to swing the new ball. This made him an important bowler in India’s bowling lineup.
In international cricket, he has played 21 Tests, 121 ODIs, and 87 T20Is, where he has 63, 141, and 90 wickets respectively. The best performance of Bhuvneshwar in T20Is is 5/4 against Afghanistan in 2022, whereas his best ODI performance is 5/42.
One of his best performances in Test cricket was his 19 wicket haul during India’s 2014 England tour, where he bagged 6/82 at Lords.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Stats Trend and India Comeback
Despite staying away from international cricket since 2022, Bhuvneshwar still played in the IPL. His performances for Royal Challengers Bengaluru recently, with 17 wickets in 2025 and 28 wickets in 2026, got him back into the spotlight as an international cricketer again.
As a result, his inclusion in India’s T20I series against New Zealand makes the Bhuvneshwar Kumar India comeback truly significant.
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