India have brought veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar into their T20I squad for the final match against the West Indies after Arshdeep Singh suffered a shoulder injury in Hyderabad. With the five-match series level at 2-2, India will look to strengthen their bowling attack for the series decider.
Bhuvneshwar was already in line for an international comeback after a four-year absence, having been named in India’s T20I squad for the New Zealand tour. India are searching for answers after their bowling attack struggled to contain the West Indies’ batting lineup, particularly on batting-friendly pitches.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s Experience Could Help India Address Bowling Concerns
India have missed Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy during the series. The bowling unit has struggled on batting-friendly pitches, with short boundaries and a wet ball making it difficult to restrict the West Indies’ scoring in the middle and death overs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar brings experience and control across different phases of a T20 innings. His ability to swing the new ball could help India challenge opener Shai Hope, who has been in strong form on the tour. His movement with the new ball could give India an early breakthrough option against the Windies.
His variations and accurate yorkers could also prove useful against finishers in the death overs. The veteran pacer’s return would give India another experienced option as they look to improve their execution with the ball, especially when defending a big total.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s Bowling Record at M Chinnaswamy Stadium
The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru could provide a fitting setting for Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s international comeback.
The venue has played an important role in his recent career, particularly during his time with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he has built a strong record despite the ground’s batting-friendly conditions.
Across 22 T20 matches at the stadium, Bhuvneshwar has taken 28 wickets at an average of 25.1 and an economy rate of 8.11. He has also taken 3/24 in a T20I against Pakistan in 2012. The pacer has recorded four wickets in his only ODI appearance at the venue.
The ground is known for its short boundaries and conditions that often favour batters. Bhuvneshwar’s figures across T20Is, domestic cricket and the IPL show his ability to take wickets while keeping the scoring rate under control at the venue.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar at M Chinnaswamy Stadium
| ODI | ||||||||||||
| Year | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wickets | Econ | Avg | SR | 5W | BBI | 4s | 6s | Dot % |
| 2013 | 1 | 48 | 47 | 0 | 5.88 | – | – | 0 | 0/47 | 6 | 1 | 52.1 |
| T20I | ||||||||||||
| Year | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wickets | Econ | Avg | SR | 5W | BBI | 4s | 6s | Dot % |
| 2012 | 1 | 24 | 9 | 3 | 2.25 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 03-09 | 0 | 0 | 79.2 |
| T20 — Total | ||||||||||||
| Inns | Balls | Runs | Wickets | Econ | Avg | SR | 5W | BBI | 4s | 6s | Dot % | |
| 22 | 503 | 702 | 28 | 8.37 | 25.1 | 18 | 0 | 3-26 | 81 | 25 | 42.3 | |
IPL Milestones and Recent Record for RCB
Bhuvneshwar Kumar reached a major IPL milestone at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium while playing for RCB. By dismissing Chennai Super Kings batter Ayush Mhatre, he became the second bowler and the first fast bowler to reach 200 wickets in the IPL.
His recent record at the venue has also been impressive. Across his last 10 appearances there for RCB, he has gone wicketless only once, taking 17 wickets at an average of 19.76 and an economy rate of 8.62.
These figures highlight his consistency at a venue where bowlers often face pressure from aggressive batting. If selected for the fifth T20I, he will hope to use that experience to help India contain the West Indies in the series decider.
