Stories
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's Team India Return Sparks Tension For RCB Fans
- •Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has returned to the Indian squad for the T20 series against New Zealand after a four-year gap.
- •RCB fans were hoping to retain him as an uncapped player for just 4 crore rupees for the next IPL season.
- •To qualify as an uncapped player, a capped Indian player must not play international matches for five years, a threshold Bhuvi was close to meeting.
- •Now that he is back in the national team, he remains a capped player, meaning RCB will have to spend between 11 to 14 crore rupees to retain him.
Key Questions Answered
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's selection in the Indian team means he remains a capped player. If he had stayed out of international cricket for one more year, he would have qualified as an 'uncapped player', allowing RCB to retain him for just 4 crore rupees instead of spending a massive amount in the auction.
Under the IPL uncapped player rule, an Indian player who has played international matches but has either retired or not played any international match in the last five years without a BCCI contract can be retained for a fixed amount of 4 crore rupees. This significantly lowers retention costs compared to standard star player prices.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar last played for the Indian national team on November 22, 2022, before being selected in the 16-member squad for the T20 series against New Zealand following a four-year gap.
