Bhuvneshwar Kumar Returns as India Name T20I Squad for New Zealand Tour

India have announced a largely settled 16 member squad for their upcoming T20I tour of New Zealand, with experienced fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar making a long awaited return to the international setup.

Shreyas Iyer will continue as captain as India retain most of the players currently involved in their T20I campaign against the West Indies. The biggest change is the inclusion of Kumar, who returns to India’s T20I squad nearly four years after his last appearance in the format.

Kumar last played a T20I for India in November 2022. His return adds considerable experience to a pace attack that will also feature Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav and Mayank Yadav.

The conditions in New Zealand could make Kumar an especially valuable addition. His ability to move the ball in the air and extract swing with the new ball could provide India with an important weapon against New Zealand’s top order.

India’s squad includes a strong combination of youth and experience. Alongside established players such as Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy, the selectors have continued to invest in younger talent.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma and Naman Dhir are among the players looking to strengthen their claims at international level, while Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy provide additional batting and all round options.

The bowling department will see Kumar join Arshdeep, Prince and Mayank as the four frontline pace options. Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav are expected to lead the spin attack, giving India two experienced options in the middle overs.

Ravi Bishnoi has been left out of the squad, while Washington Sundar is also unavailable after previously being withdrawn from India’s West Indies campaign.

Dhir, who was brought into the West Indies squad as Sundar’s replacement, has retained his place for the New Zealand tour. His inclusion gives India another useful all round option alongside Axar, Dube and Nitish.

India’s 16 player squad is:

Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav.

Kumar’s return will be one of the major talking points ahead of the series. At a stage when India are balancing immediate results with the development of their next generation of T20 players, his experience could provide valuable leadership to a relatively young bowling group.

The New Zealand tour will also give India an opportunity to assess their combinations in conditions that traditionally offer assistance to seam bowlers. For Kumar, it represents a significant opportunity to make an impact on his return and potentially re establish himself in India’s T20I plans.

Courtesy: icc-cricket