[TITLE>India Refreshes T20I Squads: Bhuvneshwar Kumar Steps Into Spot After Arshdeep Singh’s Injury
Bengaluru, October 16: Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been added to India’s squad for the final T20I against the West Indies as cover for Arshdeep Singh, who suffered a shoulder injury during the fourth match of the series.
The decisive encounter stands at 2‑2, and will be played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday.
“Bhuvneshwar Kumar was added to the squad after Arshdeep Singh sustained a blow to his bowling shoulder during the fourth T20I of the series against West Indies on Wednesday in Hyderabad,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reported.
The BCCI confirmed that a final decision on Arshdeep’s eligibility will be made before the match, contingent on his recovery. Bhuvneshwar is therefore set out to start the game, possibly marking his comeback to T20 international cricket after more than four years off the oval.
At 36 years old, he last appeared in a T20I against New Zealand in Napier on 22 November 2022. The same ground—where he once recorded a swinging 3/9 over four balls—will host his possible return, adding a poignant local flavor to his résumé.
Kumar enjoys a robust resurgence in limited‑overs cricket, highlighted by 45 wickets in just 30 matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru across the 2025 and 2026 IPL seasons.
RCB assistant coach Omkar Salvi lauded the pacer’s tactical acumen and versatility, noting how his refined technique at the new‑ball and effective variation utilization promise to complement India’s batting order throughout the decider.
A seasoned arm, Bhuvneshwar’s presence could exploit weaknesses in the West Indies lineup anchored by Shai Hope, who has amassed 261 runs in four meetings—including two centuries—to date.
India vs West Indies: Updated Squad
Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Soaryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Tilak Varma (VC), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Naman Dhir, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.