Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns soon, joins Indian squad for Bengaluru T20I vs West Indies

The long-awaited return of fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the Indian T20I team came earlier than expected. A 36-year-old man who was named in the Indian squad for the upcoming T20I series in New Zealandwas added to the squad for the fifth and final T20I against West Indies in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Bhuvneshwar, who last represented India in a T20I in November 2022, was preparing for the New Zealand tour at the Center of Excellence in Bengaluru when the invitation came. His inclusion comes afterwards Arshdeep Singh suffered a blow to his shoulder while bowling during the fourth T20I in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

The senior selection committee added Bhuvneshwar to the lineup for the series decider at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. A decision on Arshdeep’s participation will be taken before the match depending on his recovery.

West Indies defeated India in Hyderabad on Wednesday to level the five-match series at 2-2. With the series on the line, India could turn to Bhuvneshwar’s decision-making experience, especially in this series where bowlers have struggled to keep the batting going in high-scoring contests.

HOW BHUVNESHWAR KUMAR REFLECTED

Bhuvneshwar’s return comes after an impressive Indian Premier League season for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The experienced pacer has picked up 28 wickets in 16 matches at an economy rate of 7.95 in IPL 2026, playing a key role in RCB’s successful title defence. His ability to swing the new ball and execute his plans at the death has kept him relevant in the shortest format.

His performances in the IPL strengthened his case for an international comeback, with the veteran continuing to perform despite being out of the national set-up. The New Zealand series was expected to mark his return to international cricket, but the latest development could give him an opportunity to play even sooner.

Bhuvneshwar’s experience will be valuable for India as they look to wrap up the five-match series against the West Indies. Both teams are heading into the T20I final after the visitors leveled the series at 2-2 with a 24-run victory in Hyderabad.

Updated Indian T20I Team: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mayman Yashde and Prince Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

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