Veteran Indian fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar was one of the standout players of IPL 2026, picking up 28 wickets as his side Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lifted back-to-back titles. Despite being 36 years old, Bhuvneshwar produced arguably his finest IPL campaign. The experienced pacer, however, revealed that he was surprised by the fact that RCB picked him in the mega auction in 2025. In a recent interview, Bhuvneshwar revealed his raw reaction after being picked by RCB for Rs 10.75 crore, and how the team inducted him in.
Bhuvneshwar revealed that he was in the middle of a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match when his name came up on the second day of the mega auction.
“When the auction happened on the first day, I was told by (SRH coach) Daniel Vettori that a few teams were waiting for me. SRH wanted me, but due to dynamics and budget, they could not get me,” Bhuvneshwar revealed, in an interview with Jatin Sapru.
“When my name came up, Mushtaq Ali was going on, and I was captaining UP (Uttar Pradesh). We were just getting into the ground, and our video analyst was watching the auction. I took a peek, and I remember MI and LSG had started the bidding. When it went to Rs 5 or 6 crores, I had to go as the umpires had started entering the ground,” the pacer narrated.
“Someone came in after a few overs and told me that RCB had picked me. I was a bit surprised, because two other teams were bidding earlier. But I got messages from the team, and I was happy to be part of a team with such a big fanbase,” he said.
Bhuvneshwar walked into an RCB setup that hadn’t won a title in 17 years, but revealed that there was never any pressure to end the long wait.
“When I met the staff, everyone wanted to win, but they had a simple philosophy: if we win, it would be great but if not, it’s just one more year. We were excited and prepared, but we were also relaxed,” Bhuvneshwar stated.
The pacer started off his IPL career at RCB, but only played once for the franchise in the Champions League T20. Upon his return, he has taken 45 wickets in just 30 games across IPL 2025 and 2026, with the team going on to win the title in both seasons.
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