Bhuvneshwar Kumar Returns: Added to India Squad for Final T20I
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is added to India's squad for the final T20I against West Indies as Arshdeep Singh suffers a shoulder injury.
In a sudden turn of events, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been added to the national squad for the fifth and final T20I against the West Indies. This move comes as a precautionary measure following an injury to Arshdeep Singh during the previous encounter.
Injury Blow for Arshdeep Singh
The decision to bring in the experienced swing bowler was prompted by a setback for Arshdeep Singh. During the fourth T20I held in Hyderabad, Arshdeep sustained a blow to his bowling shoulder. While he has been added to the squad, the BCCI noted that a final decision regarding Arshdeep's participation in the series finale will depend on his recovery progress leading up to the match.
The high-stakes final match of the series is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 17, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
A Seesaw Series: India vs West Indies
The series has been a rollercoaster of high scores and dramatic shifts in momentum, currently standing at a 2-2 deadlock heading into the final game.
- First T20I: India started strong with a comfortable eight-wicket victory, successfully chasing down a target of 172.
- Second T20I: The tide turned in Ranchi, where India's bowling attack struggled. Despite posting a massive 250 runs, the West Indies chased it down with ease, reaching 252/4 in just 18.3 overs.
- Third T20I: India fought back, defending a total of 223 to win by 14 runs, restricting the visitors to 209/7.
- Fourth T20I: The momentum swung back to the West Indies in Hyderabad. A brilliant unbeaten century by Shai Hope propelled the visitors to 247/3. India fell short by 24 runs, leveling the series.
Updated India Squad for the 5th T20I
With the addition of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the updated squad for the decider in Bengaluru is as follows:
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, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.