Published on: Oct 7, 2026 10:42 am IST|Updated on: Oct 7, 2026 10:45 am IST
In one of the most heartwarming comeback stories in recent times, veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has found his way back to the Indian squad after a plethora of consistent performances in both domestic and IPL cricket. The 36-year-old has been included in India’s T20I squad for their upcoming tour of New Zealand.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by IndiaFantasy (@indiafantasy)
A post shared by IndiaFantasy (@indiafantasy)
The seam maestro from Uttar Pradesh last donned the Indian jersey in 2022, coincidentally against this very opponent at McLean Park in Napier. Nearly four years after that outing, Bhuvneshwar’s grit, sheer hard work, relentless persistence, and stellar showing in the IPL and other domestic tournaments forced the selection committee, led by Pragyan Ojha, to bring him back into the national setup.
As mentioned earlier, Bhuvneshwar’s return to the national setup didn’t happen all of a sudden, but it came on the back of two extraordinary Indian Premier League (IPL) seasons with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Across the last two seasons for the franchise, Bhuvneshwar stands tall at the summit with the most wickets for the side and played a monumental role in helping the team secure the IPL trophy in the last two years.
Former players and experts praised his control over the new ball, noting how his mastery of seam movement makes him lethal on bouncy, swing-friendly New Zealand pitches.
“Age is just a number when you have skill, accuracy, and tactical brilliance. Bhuvneshwar has earned his place back purely on merit through outstanding performances in domestic cricket and the IPL.”
On India’s tour of New Zealand, Bhuvneshwar’s inclusion gives Team India a much-needed seasoned leader in the pace-bowling department. With Jasprit Bumrah rested, Bhuvi will lead the pace attack featuring youngsters like Prince Yadav and Mayank Yadav, along with India’s T20I pace-bowling maestro Arshdeep Singh. Bhuvneshwar will play a dual role—delivering impact overs on the field while mentoring young pacers like Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav.
India’s T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer welcomed the move, highlighting how Bhuvneshwar’s deep international experience adds valuable composure to the squad during pressure situations.
“Having someone of Bhuvi’s stature in the dressing room brings immense calm. He knows exactly how to setup batters and navigate tough death-overs situations.”
India will be touring New Zealand for an all-format series later this month. The tour will kick off with 5 T20Is followed by 5 ODIs and 2 Test matches. The squads for the ODI and Test series will be announced later, but below is the 16-man squad announced for the T20I series.
For millions of Indian cricket fans, seeing the “King of Swing” run up in the Blue jersey after nearly four years will be a moment of pure joy and satisfaction. The fans want to see their favorite to deliver in New Zealand with pure gold.