Bhuvneshwar Kumar was recalled for the T20I series against New Zealand. The 36-year-old was picked after a span of four years following his brilliant performances in the domestic circuit and 28 wickets during the IPL 2026.

This sparked curiosity amongst the fans that veteran seamer Mohammed Shami could also get a chance.

However, ex-Indian batter Aakash Chopra feels that is unlikely to happen. “Bhuvneshwar Kumar is back in the T20I squad, but is it for the 2027 ODI WC as well? If he is back, will Shami also make a return? It seems that a few cricketers’ exiles are ending now that Agarkar is not there.”

While speaking about Shami, the former Indian opener said, “The question that is being asked is if Bhuvi is back, will Shami also return? People were thinking now that Ajit Agarkar is gone, there is a chance.

We will be fooling ourselves if we think that one guy was stopping others to make certain selections.”

“That is not the case asthe selection committee has five members and all of them are on the same page. So, it is not like one man made the call and others followed suit. It doesn’t happen that way. Every member has to agree. Shami’s case is an interesting one. I am not saying it will not happen, and there are chances.

Is it due to Agarkar’s exit? I don’t agree with that notion, but this is his last chance,” he added.

“There is a series against Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and also Australia, then the IPL. If a decision is not taken now, then it will be too late. So, will Shami be back? I don’t have any inside information. I met RP Singh in Lucknow a few days ago, but I didn’t ask him such questions. There is a possibility. Whether it happens or not, we don’t know.”

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to ODI cricket on the cards?

Aakash Chopra also opined on Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s likely return to ODIs.

“The big story is Kumar. Is his comeback only for the T20 format? If yes, then why wasn’t it done before? Were the selectors waiting to see how he did in the UPT20 league? He had also done well in the IPL. In the end, it doesn’t seem like a call made for the twenty-over format only. If that were the case, Kumar would have been selected earlier, and the next World Cup is in 2028, so what’s the plan?”

“Selectors might want to have a look at his performances first.

How he goes about in New Zealand and maybe ease him into the fifty-over format as well. It is also to be noted that Bhuvi doesn’t play fifty-over at all, and the fans have to remember that all formats are different. Getting selected in the side will be difficult, because you have to bowl ten overs and field all fifty overs.”