IND vs WI: Bhuvneshwar Kumar added as injury cover for Arshdeep Singh ahead of 5th T20I

India fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been added to the squad for the fifth and final T20I of the series against West Indies on Saturday, October 17, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Bhuvneshwar has been named as a cover for injured Arshdeep Singh after the left-arm seamer sustained a blow to his bowling shoulder during the fourth T20I in Hyderabad. Arshdeep suffered the injury in the final over of the match as he was hit by a short delivery from Shamar Joseph.

The tailender looked in serious pain and was unable to continue batting, prompting captain Shreyas Iyer to make him retire hurt as India finished their innings on 223/9 after 19.3 overs, losing the match by 24 runs.

A decision on his participation in the final T20I will be taken prior to the game based on his recovery. Arshdeep Singh’s absence will be a big blow to India, as he played a key role in the team’s 14-run victory during the third T20I in Indore. The left-arm seamer picked up a three-wicket haul, registering figures of 3/44 in four overs. 

Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar’s inclusion in the team means that he’s in line to play an international match after four years. He last featured for the Men in Blue during a T20I in New Zealand in November 2022. 

Bhuvneshwar's experience to come in handy for India

Earlier, he made his comeback to the team after being named in the T20I squad for the upcoming New Zealand tour. Bhuvneshwar’s inclusion could well be a blessing in disguise for India, as he has been regularly playing at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the past two seasons.

The veteran seamer has been regularly amongst the wickets for his franchise, playing a key role in his team’s successive IPL triumphs. With Indian bowlers struggling to contain West Indies batters in the ongoing series, Bhuvneshwar’s addition could well come as a breath of fresh air for India.

Meanwhile, the five-match series is levelled 2-2, and both teams will give their all to seal the series in the upcoming fixture, with West Indies on the verge of winning their first bilateral series in India since 2002.

India’s updated T20I 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.