Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns early, joins India squad for Bengaluru T20I vs West Indies
Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s much-anticipated return to the Indian T20I team has come sooner than expected. The 36-year-old, who was named in India’s squad for the upcoming T20I series in New Zealand, has been added to the squad for the fifth and final T20I against the 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 Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru when the call-up came. His inclusion comes after Arshdeep Singh sustained a blow to his bowling shoulder during the fourth T20I in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
The senior selection committee has added Bhuvneshwar to the squad 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 beat India in Hyderabad on Wednesday to level the five-match series 2-2. With the series on the line, India could turn to Bhuvneshwar’s experience in the decider, especially in this series in which bowlers have struggled to contain the batters in high-scoring contests.
HOW BHUVNESHWAR KUMAR BOUNCED BACK
Bhuvneshwar’s return comes on the back of an impressive Indian Premier League season for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The experienced pacer 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 deliver despite being away from the national setup. The New Zealand series was expected to mark his return to international cricket, but the latest development could give him an opportunity to feature even earlier.
Bhuvneshwar’s experience will be valuable for India as they look to close out the five-match series against the West Indies. The two teams head into the final T20I after the visitors levelled the series 2-2 with a 24-run win in Hyderabad.
India’s updated T20I squad: 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, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Naman Dhir and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
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