For Bhuvneshwar Kumar, making a comeback to Indian cricket has been a familiar story. But his latest return could have an unexpected impact on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The veteran pacer was back in the national T20I setup on Tuesday after the BCCI announced India’s 16-member squad for the five-match T20I away series against New Zealand, starting October 22.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was once one of the most important all-format players of India. Between 2017 and 2022, he was a key part of the pace attack alongside Jasprit Bumrah. However, a series of injuries affected his career and limited his appearances for India. There were also reports suggesting that Bhuvneshwar Kumar was no longer interested in playing for the national team but the pacer never publicly responded to those rumours.
He eventually began his comeback through local T20 leagues. His performances were strong enough to attract the attention of RCB that not only signed him but also made him an important leader of their pace attack.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar made an immediate impact. In his first two seasons with RCB, he took 45 wickets at an impressive average of 21.8. His performances played a major role in helping the franchise win back-to-back titles and finally end their long wait for IPL success.
You would expect RCB fans to be delighted about his return to India. Instead, many fans are unhappy — and the reason has everything to do with an IPL rule. The issue is the IPL’s ‘uncapped player’ rule. Under this rule, an Indian player who has previously played international cricket can be classified as ‘uncapped’ if they have retired from international cricket or have not played for India and have not held a BCCI central contract for five years.
The rule becomes particularly important during player retention. A franchise can retain a player classified as uncapped for a fixed price of Rs 4 crore, which is considerably lower than the retention amount applicable to capped Indian players.
The rule was used during the early years of the IPL but was later discontinued around 2021, before the 2022 mega auction. It was brought back by the IPL Governing Council in September 2024, ahead of the 2025 mega auction, as part of the new retention rules. Chennai Super Kings used the rule to retain MS Dhoni, while Rajasthan Royals retained Sandeep Sharma for Rs 4 crore for the IPL 2025. This is where Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s India comeback becomes important for RCB.
His last international appearance before the recent comeback came on November 22, 2022. Had he remained out of international cricket for another year, he could have become eligible for the uncapped category. That would have allowed RCB to potentially retain him for just Rs 4 crore. Bhuvneshwar’s current salary, however, is Rs 10.75 crore. That means RCB could have potentially retained one of their most important pacers for less than half of his current salary. With his return to India’s T20I setup, that possibility has now become a major talking point among RCB fans.
For a player who has delivered 45 wickets in his first two RCB seasons and played a key role in two consecutive title wins, losing the chance to retain him for Rs 4 crore could prove to be a significant setback for the franchise’s retention plans.
What is your take on this matter?
Here Is Why VVS Laxman Attended The Indian Men’s Selection Committee Meeting In Guwahati
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s India Comeback Sparks Joy, Wife Nupur Nagar’s Instagram Post Goes Viral
Gautam Gambhir’s Emotional Tribute To Ajit Agarkar After BCCI Begins Search For His Replacement
Sourav Ganguly Breaks Silence On Conflict Of Interest After Becoming Delhi Capitals Head Coach
