IND vs WI: Bhuvneshwar Kumar replaces injured Arshdeep Singh for Bengaluru T20I

Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to India’s T20I squad has come earlier than expected, as the 36-year-old, who was selected for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, has now been added to India’s squad for the fifth and final T20I against the West Indies in Bengaluru on Saturday. Bhuvneshwar last played a T20I for India in Nov 2022 and was training at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru ahead of the New Zealand tour when he received the call-up. His inclusion comes after Arshdeep Singh suffered a blow to his bowling shoulder during the fourth T20I in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

The senior selection committee has added the experienced pacer to the squad for the series decider at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. However, a final decision on Arshdeep’s availability will be made before the match, depending on his recovery.

The West Indies defeated India by 24 runs in Hyderabad to level the five-match series 2-2.

With the series at stake, India could benefit from Bhuvneshwar’s experience, especially as bowlers have found it difficult to control the batters in several high-scoring matches.

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Bhuvneshwar earned attention with his impressive performances for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. He took 28 wickets in 16 matches at an economy rate of 7.95, playing an important role in RCB’s successful title defence.

His ability to swing the new ball and bowl effectively in the death overs has made him a strong option in the shortest format. His IPL performances also strengthened his case for an international comeback despite his extended absence from the national team.

The New Zealand series was expected to mark Bhuvneshwar’s return to international cricket, but his latest call-up could give him an opportunity to play earlier than planned.

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India will look to make the most of his experience as they aim to win the series against the West Indies in the final T20I on Saturday.

India’s updated T20I squad: Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma (vc), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Naman Dhir and Bhuvneshwar Kumar