180 runs, 1 wicket, 4 T20Is! 'Playing Bhuvneshwar Kumar was a mistake': Ex-India star questions selectors
toi
newspoint|02-11-2026
NEW DELHI: Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has questioned the selectors' decision to bring Bhuvneshwar Kumar back into the T20I team, calling his inclusion in the recent series against New Zealand a mistake.
Bhuvneshwar returned to India's T20I side after a gap of four years but struggled to make an impact. He managed just one wicket while conceding 180 runs in four matches.
India, led by Shreyas Iyer, started the five-match series with three consecutive wins but lost the final two games. Following the series, Pathan questioned the purpose of bringing back the experienced pacer when the next T20 World Cup is still some distance away.
"In my opinion, where did the selectors go wrong? They made a mistake by playing Bhuvneshwar Kumar in this series. Look, there is no doubt that Bhuvneshwar is a good bowler and a senior player. However, playing him here, when the T20 World Cup is nowhere near, was questionable. If you were preparing Bhuvneshwar for the 50-over World Cup, which is closer, that would have made sense," Irfan said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Bhuvneshwar struggles in New Zealand series
Bhuvneshwar's comeback in the first T20I did not go as planned. Playing his first T20I in four years, he went wicketless and conceded 49 runs in four overs at an economy rate of 12.25.
He picked up his only wicket of the series in the second T20I, dismissing Daryl Mitchell for six. However, he conceded 50 runs in his four overs.
The experienced pacer went wicketless again in the third match, giving away 40 runs. He missed the fourth T20I before returning for the series finale.
Bhuvneshwar was unable to make an impact in the final match as well. He conceded 41 runs in four overs without taking a wicket.
Pathan says young pacers missed an opportunity
Pathan believes Bhuvneshwar's selection also meant that young fast bowlers missed out on valuable international experience.
"By including him in this series, however, you missed out on giving young fast bowlers an opportunity. A youngster could have played in his place and gained valuable experience. Mayank [Yadav] could have played all the matches and gained that exposure, while Prince Yadav could have played too. You missed a valuable opportunity for your fast bowlers to gain good experience on New Zealand soil," he added.
Pathan also made it clear that his comments were not based only on Bhuvneshwar's performances in the series. He acknowledged that the senior pacer was also unlucky at times.
"I'm not saying this because Bhuvneshwar didn't perform well. That's not the case. Although he was a bit unlucky-he bowled well in his first two overs, but later, when he bowled the final over of the powerplay, he conceded runs. These things happen to any player. There is no question about his skill," he noted.
'The question is definitely about the timing'
Pathan said the selectors should focus on giving young fast bowlers opportunities, especially on pitches where they have little room for mistakes.
"The question is definitely about the timing. Would this have been a better opportunity for a young fast bowler? I believe it would have been. You have to understand that if you want to develop fast bowlers, it is very important to give them opportunities and let them play on true pitches, where the margin for error is very low," he explained.
Bhuvneshwar returned to India's T20I side after a gap of four years but struggled to make an impact. He managed just one wicket while conceding 180 runs in four matches.
India, led by Shreyas Iyer, started the five-match series with three consecutive wins but lost the final two games. Following the series, Pathan questioned the purpose of bringing back the experienced pacer when the next T20 World Cup is still some distance away.
"In my opinion, where did the selectors go wrong? They made a mistake by playing Bhuvneshwar Kumar in this series. Look, there is no doubt that Bhuvneshwar is a good bowler and a senior player. However, playing him here, when the T20 World Cup is nowhere near, was questionable. If you were preparing Bhuvneshwar for the 50-over World Cup, which is closer, that would have made sense," Irfan said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Bhuvneshwar struggles in New Zealand series
Bhuvneshwar's comeback in the first T20I did not go as planned. Playing his first T20I in four years, he went wicketless and conceded 49 runs in four overs at an economy rate of 12.25.
He picked up his only wicket of the series in the second T20I, dismissing Daryl Mitchell for six. However, he conceded 50 runs in his four overs.
The experienced pacer went wicketless again in the third match, giving away 40 runs. He missed the fourth T20I before returning for the series finale.
Bhuvneshwar was unable to make an impact in the final match as well. He conceded 41 runs in four overs without taking a wicket.
Pathan says young pacers missed an opportunity
Pathan believes Bhuvneshwar's selection also meant that young fast bowlers missed out on valuable international experience.
"By including him in this series, however, you missed out on giving young fast bowlers an opportunity. A youngster could have played in his place and gained valuable experience. Mayank [Yadav] could have played all the matches and gained that exposure, while Prince Yadav could have played too. You missed a valuable opportunity for your fast bowlers to gain good experience on New Zealand soil," he added.
Pathan also made it clear that his comments were not based only on Bhuvneshwar's performances in the series. He acknowledged that the senior pacer was also unlucky at times.
"I'm not saying this because Bhuvneshwar didn't perform well. That's not the case. Although he was a bit unlucky-he bowled well in his first two overs, but later, when he bowled the final over of the powerplay, he conceded runs. These things happen to any player. There is no question about his skill," he noted.
'The question is definitely about the timing'
Pathan said the selectors should focus on giving young fast bowlers opportunities, especially on pitches where they have little room for mistakes.
"The question is definitely about the timing. Would this have been a better opportunity for a young fast bowler? I believe it would have been. You have to understand that if you want to develop fast bowlers, it is very important to give them opportunities and let them play on true pitches, where the margin for error is very low," he explained.
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