Bhuvneshwar Kumar Joins Indian Squad for Final T20 Against West Indies
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been added to the Indian team for the final T20 against West Indies after Aveshdeep Singhs injury.
Bengaluru, October 16 (Daily Kiran) : Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been included in the Indian cricket team for the fifth and final T20 match against West Indies, scheduled for October 17, 2026, in Bengaluru. This decision comes after Aveshdeep Singh sustained an injury during the fourth match of the series.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Kumar’s inclusion, stating, “The men’s selection committee has added Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the squad for the fifth T20 match against West Indies.”
While Aveshdeep has not been ruled out completely for the upcoming match, a final decision regarding his participation will be made just before the game. The BCCI noted that Aveshdeep suffered a shoulder injury while bowling during the fourth T20 match in Hyderabad.
In that match, Aveshdeep was hit on his bowling shoulder by a bouncer from West Indies‘ Shamar Joseph while chasing a target of 248 runs. Although he faced the next delivery, he eventually had to retire hurt due to the pain. The West Indies won that match by 24 runs, leveling the series at 2-2.
Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar has already been selected for the upcoming T20 series against New Zealand, which begins on October 22 in Christchurch. The 36-year-old last represented India in a T20 World Cup semifinal against England in November 2022 at Adelaide Oval. His impressive performances in the last two seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have earned him a spot back on the national team.
The updated Indian T20 squad includes: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Surya, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Shivam Dubey, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Aveshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Naman Dheer, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
