Christchurch, 21 October (H.S.): Indian captain Shreyas Iyer has welcomed the return of experienced fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the national team ahead of Thursday’s opening T20 International against New Zealand. Iyer said Bhuvneshwar had considerable experience in dominating the shortest format of the game, with his recent performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) serving as evidence of his abilities.

India and New Zealand are scheduled to play a five-match T20 International series. Bhuvneshwar could be seen wearing India’s T20 jersey again after an absence of nearly four years. His last T20 International appearance for India came against New Zealand in Napier in November 2022. In that match, he conceded 35 runs in four overs without taking a wicket. The contest ended in a tie, while India went on to win the series. His much-anticipated return during India’s recent home series against the West Indies was delayed because of rain.

Bhuvneshwar subsequently delivered impressive performances for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL. He claimed 45 wickets in 31 matches at an average of 22.55, helping the team secure consecutive titles in 2025 and 2026. In the most recent IPL season, he was the second-highest wicket-taker, claiming 28 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 17.89 and an economy rate of 7.95.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Iyer said, “He brings a lot of experience to the team, something we were missing. After the IPL, we had several new bowlers. If you look at his performances over the last two years, he has won IPL titles. He has a very good understanding of how to dominate in this format.”

Iyer also emphasised the importance of adapting quickly to conditions in New Zealand. He observed that the New Zealand side appeared to place greater emphasis on fast bowling and that the local conditions were conducive to pace bowling.

The Indian captain said the team would strive to adjust to the conditions as quickly as possible. He added that the players would gain a clearer understanding of the pitch and playing conditions after their practice session, enabling them to formulate an appropriate strategy.

Bhuvneshwar has taken 90 wickets in 87 T20 Internationals for India at an average of 23.10. His record in the format includes two five-wicket hauls and three four-wicket hauls. He is now just 10 wickets away from reaching the milestone of 100 T20 International wickets. If he achieves the feat, he will become the fifth Indian bowler to do so, after Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel.

Bhuvneshwar has also claimed 294 wickets across all three formats of international cricket. The 36-year-old fast bowler has an opportunity to complete 300 international wickets, which would make him the 14th Indian bowler and the ninth Indian fast bowler to reach the milestone.

India’s Squad for the T20 International Series Against New Zealand

Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain), Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar