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India suffered an 87-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth T20I played in Auckland on Friday, raising further questions about the return of fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the national team. Former Indian opener and renowned commentator Akash Chopra has questioned whether Bhuvneshwar’s comeback has lived up to the expectations of fans and the team management.
India entered the fourth T20I without Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who had returned to the national team after four years. His performances in the first three matches of the series had been disappointing, prompting the team to replace him with Mayank Yadav in the playing XI for the fourth encounter.
Chopra, in a video shared on his YouTube channel, raised concerns over Bhuvneshwar’s return and questioned the decision to bring him back into the team.
“Prasidh Krishna was not selected for the ODI team because of an injury. Bhuvi has not been selected for the ODI team. He has conceded so many runs in the first three T20 matches that questions are being raised about his comeback. Keeping him out of the playing XI for the fourth T20 has further deepened the questions surrounding his return. Bhuvi’s comeback has not been what Indian fans were expecting,” Chopra said.
India’s bowling performance in the fourth T20I also failed to impress, with the team conceding 259 runs. Chasing a target of 260, India managed to score only 172 runs, suffering an 87-run defeat against New Zealand.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s absence from the fourth T20I has further intensified the scrutiny surrounding his comeback. If he is not included in the playing XI for the fifth T20I, questions could emerge about his international T20 career.
The fifth T20I between India and New Zealand is scheduled to be played in Hamilton on November 1. India have already secured an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series.
New Zealand will look to win the final match and reduce the series margin to 3-2, while India will aim to finish the series with a 4-1 victory.
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