Bhuvneshwar Kumar on cusp of historic milestone ahead of New Zealand T20Is

Veteran India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is on the verge of a significant milestone as India prepare to take on New Zealand in a five-match T20I series. The much-anticipated contest gets underway at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on October 22.

Bhuvneshwar, 36, is set for his first appearance for India in nearly four years. He was part of the squad that toured New Zealand in 2022, shortly after India's T20 World Cup campaign ended with a crushing 10-wicket defeat to England in the semifinals.

Although Bhuvneshwar was named in India's playing XI for the series decider against West Indies at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on October 17, he did not get an opportunity to bowl as the match was washed out.

The right-arm seamer is expected to feature in India's starting XI from the opening match against the Blackcaps and has a realistic chance of becoming only the fifth Indian player to take 100 wickets in T20I cricket.

Bhuvneshwar has claimed 90 wickets in 88 T20Is at an average of 23.10 and an economy rate of 6.96, including two five-wicket hauls. If he plays all five matches in the series, he could cross the 100-wicket mark.

Arshdeep Singh (145 wickets), Jasprit Bumrah (126), Hardik Pandya (114) and Axar Patel (113) are currently the only Indian bowlers to have taken 100 or more wickets in the shortest format of the game. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav also has the opportunity to breach the 100-wicket threshold in T20Is. Kuldeep is on 98 and needs two more to script history.

Players to take most wickets for India in T20 Internationals