Veteran bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been included in India’s squad for the fifth and final T20I against the West Indies to be played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
The inclusion was announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday, following the fast-bowler Arshdeep Singh took a blow to the bowling shoulder during India’s opening innings in the fourth T20I that was played in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
The selection of Arshdeep for the series decider would be made prior to the event, depending on his recovery, the BCCI has said. India have called up Bhuvneshwar to replace him as he got injured and put the Indian team to complete five-match series in the final game.
Bhuvneshwar was also selected for the Indian team for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand that kicks off on October 22. He may just get a chance to make a comeback, however, in the West Indies match as an addition.
In his first-class career, the right arm pacer will make his debut for India in almost four years if made part of the playing XI. He last featured for the T20s in November 2022.
With his pace and swing bowling prowess, Bhuvneshwar might be another name in the list of choices in the pace battery for India in the shortest format. But it doesn’t mean that his name is in with the squad as his face on someone’s jersey does not equate to his being in the starting eleven.
The match has increased importance and it is the fifth T20I as there had been four high scoring matches so far in the series which are tied. It will be a panchayat-matchup for both sides as they would want to prove themselves in Bengaluru and win the series.
The team finalisation in India would hinge on the management’s evaluation of the available players and Arshdeep’s fitness prior to the final match.