Bhuvneshwar Kumar last made an appearance for India in the limited-overs series against West Indies after the 2019 World Cup. The Indian pacer was not included in the Test series in the Caribbean, and remains out of the squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against South Africa.
He was also seemingly rested for the T20I series against the Proteas, and even as Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out for the Tests with a stress fracture, the team management replaced him with Umesh Yadav.
Bhuvneshwar’s issues with consistent injuries are well documented, but his regular absences from the longest format of the game suggest that the bowler is probably seen solely as a limited-overs prospect.
In an exclusive interview with India TV, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s coach Vipin Vats talked in detail about his absence from the Tests. He supported the team management’s decision, insisting that they know how to use the Uttar Pradesh bowler.
"There are new boys coming up in the Indian team. The team management knows Bhuvi's limitations, and realize when and how to play him,” Vipin Vats told India TV.
Vats believes that Bhuvneshwar’s absence is a part of his workload management.
"I've been coaching Bhuvi since he was a two-year-old kid. I always tell him, as a bowler, one cannot possibly be consistently performing at the same level throughout his career. You cannot bowl with the same intensity as a 24-year-old when you’re 28.
“With growing age, there should be proper workload management so that the bowler stays fit."
He also recollected the time when Bhuvneshwar developed back condition during the England tour last year, and likened the situation to his absence in the team at the moment.
"When Bhuvi suffered from back pain in England, I talked to him for one hour. He wasn't able to generate swing, and I advised him on how to manage things then. The current situation is quite similar. The team management has done the right thing to lessen Bhuvi's workload if they consider him as an important member of the side for the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup, and the fifty-over world cup.
"It is difficult for Bhuvi to bowl spells ranging to 25-30 overs now. He's approaching 30."
