Bhuvneshwar Kumar's return reportedly linked to Agarkar's exit [Source: AFP]According to emerging reports, Bhuvneshwar Kumar's comeback to the Indian team has a direct link with the exit of Ajit Agarkar from the BCCI selection committee. On Tuesday, October 6, the BCCI selection committee announced India's T20I squad for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who played his last international match way back in November 2022, earned a recall for the five-match T20I series. As Bhuvneshwar Kumar grabs the limelight, a PTI report has claimed that Ajit Agarkar's BCCI exit played a significant role in the veteran pacer's comeback to the national side. Ajit Agarkar's BCCI exit facilitated Bhuvneshwar's India return- ReportAccording to a report from the Press Trust of India (PTI), Ajit Agarkar, the former chairman of the BCCI selection committee, emphasised prioritising future prospects rather than recalling discarded veterans. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was an integral part of the Indian team until their New Zealand tour in 2022, which ultimately turned out to be his last international assignment before he fell out of favour. The PTI report revealed that Ajit Agarkar, who became the BCCI selection committee chairman in July 2023, opposed the idea of recalling veteran players once they were excluded from the setup. ALSO READBhuvneshwar Kumar's T20I Record In New Zealand As He Makes India ComebackFurthermore, former fast bowler and Central Zone selector RP Singh reportedly didn't get much support in Agarkar's tenure. So, when Agarkar's stint as the BCCI chief selector concluded, RP Singh succeeded in convincing Pragyan Ojha, the interim chairman of the selection committee, to bring Bhuvneshwar Kumar back into the Indian team. Instances when Agarkar went against the interest of India veteransNotably, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is not the only senior player whom Ajit Agarkar has hesitated to back during his tenure. The former pacer, whose contract was terminated on October 4, 2026, earlier called the talismanic duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma 'non-committal' for the 2027 World Cup. According to multiple reports, Agarkar had made up his mind to remove Rohit from India's World Cup plans after India's tour of England in 2026. Amid the reports of clashes between the senior batter and the selection committee, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia issued a clarification in Rohit's favour, which apparently irked Agarkar. Ajit Agarkar also opposed the idea of including Mohammed Shami in India's 2027 World Cup plans, stating the veteran pacer wasn't ready for 50-over cricket despite proving his form and fitness across formats in the domestic circuit. ALSO READBhuvneshwar Kumar To Pull Out Of Hong Kong Sixes? India Call Up Brings New Headache
