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Lately, there's been some talk, thanks to Ravichandran Ashwin, about whether Bhuvneshwar should be considered for next year's World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. After all, he's been outstanding in recent IPL seasons, helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinch back-to-back titles.

But listening to Bhuvneshwar on a recent RCB podcast, you get the sense he's not interested in proving anything anymore, no matter how well he's playing. Despite his IPL form in 2025 and 2026, he says he's out there because he loves the game, not because he's chasing another India cap. There's no 'comeback quest'—it's just about enjoying cricket for what it is now.

'I'm playing IPL and domestic cricket because I genuinely love the game,' he said. 'When you're young and you're in the Indian team, you talk about passion and enjoying the game. But over time, you start to feel that, really. You hear things like 'control the controllable' or 'don't overthink'—those things actually mean something to me now."

He's already lived the dream of playing for India, and if another chance comes, that's great. But as Bhuvneshwar puts it, he's 'been there.' These days, everything he does is driven by his love for cricket and the discipline that still keeps him going.

It's been a while since he last played for India—November 2022, to be precise. Over a long international career, Bhuvneshwar kept reinventing himself. He added pace, learned to bowl yorkers and cutters, and that's why he's still making an impact in the IPL. Sure, his international stint ended quietly as younger bowlers came through, and his last Test match was way back in 2018.

Now, he keeps himself in the mix by playing domestic cricket and the UP T20 League, giving himself breaks to stay fresh and motivated. He credits his family for keeping him grounded—they don't talk about cricket at home, don't dwell on selection, and don't ask the 'what ifs.' That support, Bhuvneshwar says, has helped him feel totally at peace with where he is.

Transitions are a part of every athlete's journey. Generations change, new players come in, and old ones move on. He gets that, and he's not hung up on what's past. 'I'm happy where I am,' he says—and you can tell he genuinely means it.