IND vs WI: Bhuvneshwar Kumar named in playing XI for 5th T20I as pacer makes India return after 1425 days
Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar made his return to the Indian team for the first time since November 2022, as he was named in the playing XI for the fifth and final T20I against West Indies in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Bhuvneshwar is playing a T20I for India after 1425 days, having last played against New Zealand on 22 November 2022. He has missed 106 T20Is since then, which is the longest gap between two T20I appearances by an Indian, according to Cricbuzz.
His return came after India suffered an injury setback ahead of the series finale, with left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh ruled out after sustaining a blow to his bowling shoulder. Bhuvneshwar was subsequently added to the squad, giving India an experienced option for the decisive encounter.
Rain shortens match to nine overs per side
The match, however, faced a significant interruption before the action could begin. Persistent rain delayed the toss by more than two hours, forcing the contest to be shortened to nine overs per side. West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and elected to field first.
The five-match T20I series was level at 2-2 heading into the final game, setting up a winner-takes-all contest between the two sides.
India had taken the lead in the opening encounter, with Shreyas Iyer producing a match-winning performance. The right-handed batter struck an unbeaten 102 as India defeated West Indies by eight wickets to take a 1-0 advantage in the series.
West Indies responded emphatically in the second T20I. Hope matched Iyer’s achievement by scoring an unbeaten 102, guiding his side through a challenging chase of 250 runs. West Indies reached the target with six wickets to spare, levelling the series at 1-1.
The remaining matches kept the contest evenly balanced, with neither team managing to establish a decisive advantage before the final encounter in Bengaluru.
For Bhuvneshwar, the series decider offered an opportunity to return to the international stage after an extended absence.
Known for his swing bowling and experience in the shortest format, the seamer’s inclusion has added another dimension to India’s attack for the shortened contest.
India playing XI for fifth T20I vs West Indies: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Price Yadav, Arshdeep Singh
