Veteran Indian fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has rejoined the national T20 squad ahead of the crucial fifth and final match against the West Indies in Bengaluru.
The selection adjustment follows an injury concern for pacer Arshdeep Singh, who sustained a left shoulder blow while batting in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad. Although Arshdeep remains in the squad, the Board of Control for Cricket in India noted that his availability for the series decider will depend on his recovery. Bhuvneshwar's addition serves as a reinforcement while official statements have not clarified if the call-up is strictly precautionary.
The 36-year-old seamer returns to the national setup following strong performances in title-winning Indian Premier League campaigns with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, alongside a recent selection for the upcoming New Zealand tour. His last international appearance for India occurred in November 2022.
The series is currently level at 2-2 following West Indies' victory in the fourth fixture. The decisive fifth T20I is scheduled for October 17 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Updated India T20I Squad: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Naman Dhir, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.