India vs West Indies: Bhuvneshwar Kumar Added To Indian Squad In Place Of Arshdeep Singh For Final T20I

Bengaluru, October 16: Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been added to India's squad for the fifth and final T20I against the West Indies as cover for Arshdeep Singh, who sustained a shoulder injury during the fourth match of the series.
The series-deciding contest, currently level at 2-2, 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) said in a statement.

The BCCI added that a decision on Arshdeep's availability would be taken before the match, depending on his recovery. However, Bhuvneshwar is expected to feature in the playing XI, potentially marking his return to T20 internationals after nearly four years.

The 36-year-old last played a T20I against New Zealand in Napier on November 22, 2022. Coincidentally, his comeback could take place at the same venue where he made his T20I debut against Pakistan in 2012, claiming impressive figures of 3/9 in four overs.

Bhuvneshwar has enjoyed a successful revival in the shortest format through his performances in the 2025 and 2026 Indian Premier League seasons. He claimed 45 wickets in 30 matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru during that period.

RCB assistant coach Omkar Salvi recently praised the pacer's tactical awareness and adaptability, highlighting his ability to take wickets with the new ball and use variations effectively in the later stages of an innings.

Bhuvneshwar's experience could prove valuable against a formidable West Indies batting line-up led by Shai Hope, who has scored 261 runs in four matches, including two centuries.

The experienced pacer's inclusion adds another dimension to India's bowling attack ahead of the crucial series decider. Bhuvneshwar was also previously selected for India's upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, beginning October 22 in Christchurch.

India vs West Indies: Updated Squad

Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 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.