Bhuvneshwar Kumar Added to India Squad for West Indies T20I Decider; Arshdeep Faces Fitness Test
Bhuvneshwar Kumar added to India squad for the fifth and final T20I against West Indies on Friday, after Arshdeep Singh emerged as a doubt with a shoulder injury ahead of the series decider in Bengaluru.
The interim selection committee, chaired by Pragyan Ojha, drafted the experienced fast bowler in as pace cover. A decision on Arshdeep’s availability will be taken before the match, depending on his recovery.
Arshdeep hurt in Hyderabad finish
Arshdeep picked up the injury while batting during India’s chase in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad. A short delivery from West Indies pacer Shamar Joseph struck him, and he retired hurt on what proved to be the final ball of the match.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India said the left-arm pacer had taken a blow to his bowling shoulder. He has featured in all four matches of the series so far, claiming five wickets, including three for 44 in the third T20I.
Decider in Bengaluru with the series level at 2-2
The fifth T20I at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, October 17, will decide the five-match series. West Indies levelled the contest at 2-2 with a 24-run win in Hyderabad, where they posted 247 for three behind an unbeaten century from Shai Hope.
The series has swung both ways. West Indies stunned India earlier with a record 250-run chase in Ranchi to level the series, before India hit back in the third match. Now the decider sets up a fitting finish, and India’s pace resources are suddenly stretched.
If Arshdeep misses out, India will lean on Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav as the other frontline fast bowlers in the squad. All-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube offer seam-bowling options as well.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar added to India squad after four-year gap
Bhuvneshwar, 36, has not played for India since November 2022, but his domestic form has forced the selectors to look his way again. He underwent a fitness assessment at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and has since increased his bowling workload ahead of India’s T20I tour of New Zealand, which begins on October 22.
His recall follows a strong Indian Premier League 2026 campaign with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The right-arm seamer took 28 wickets in 16 matches at an economy rate of 7.95, finishing as the tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker behind Kagiso Rabada. He played a key role as RCB secured back-to-back IPL titles.
Across his international career, Bhuvneshwar has taken 90 wickets in 87 T20Is, and his ability to swing the new ball remains his calling card. He had already earned a recall to India’s T20I squad for the New Zealand tour last week; Friday’s addition could bring his international return forward by a few days.
The timing matters for India beyond this series. The team departs for New Zealand on Sunday, and the selectors are also tracking the fitness of fast bowlers in the ODI squad, including Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana. New Zealand, for their part, have their own injury worries ahead of facing India, with Chapman and Foulkes ruled out of their T20I series against the tourists.
Elsewhere in the region, Pakistan began their own home T20I assignment with a win over Sri Lanka in the first T20I, while a seven-match ODI tri-series involving Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka starts on October 18.
India’s updated squad for the fifth T20I
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Naman Dhir and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The story was first reported by Geo Super, with further details from Reuters.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Bhuvneshwar Kumar added to the squad?
He was drafted in as fast-bowling cover after Arshdeep Singh sustained a blow to his bowling shoulder during the fourth T20I in Hyderabad.
What happened to Arshdeep Singh?
A short ball from Shamar Joseph struck Arshdeep while he was batting late in India’s chase. He retired hurt, and the BCCI will decide on his availability before the fifth T20I based on his recovery.
When and where is the fifth T20I?
The series decider will be played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, October 17, with the five-match series level at 2-2.
When did Bhuvneshwar Kumar last play for India?
The 36-year-old last represented India in November 2022. He has taken 90 wickets in 87 T20Is and was already recalled for India’s T20I tour of New Zealand starting October 22.
