On Tuesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI) revealed the squad set to compete in the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, starting October 22. No significant alterations were made to the squad, and the existing setup remains unchanged. However, the most discussed topic was Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to the Indian squad, as the experienced pacer came back after nearly four years, his last outing being in India’s T20 World Cup semi-final defeat against England at the Adelaide Oval in November 2022.
Shreyas Iyer has been named captain of the T20I team, and Tilak Varma has been appointed as his vice-captain. India’s T20I series against New Zealand, kicking off on October 22, 2026, is part of a larger tour that also features five ODIs and two Tests. Bhuvneshwar last played for India in November 2022 during a tour of New Zealand, just after the T20 World Cup campaign. He is returning to the national team more than three and a half years after his previous appearance.
In the last two IPL editions, Bhuvneshwar has delivered outstanding performances for Royal Challengers Bengaluru ( RCB), claiming 45 wickets in total. His performance was the primary factor in the franchise securing back-to -back tournament victories. Recently named captain of India’s squad for the Hong Kong Sixes, the experienced campaigner will miss the tournament due to his selection in the New Zealand T20I team.
The selection committee has not released a public statement explaining the specific reasons for the decision. Nevertheless, his form in IPL 2026 provides the clearest indication connecting his performances to the recall. At 36, Bhuvneshwar has significant experience playing in New Zealand conditions, having toured there as recently as November 2022, something selectors may have also taken into account. His knack for swinging the ball effectively under overhead conditions and his prowess with the new ball have long been seen as valuable traits for overseas assignments.
The selection committee also finalised the India A squad for the three Multi-Day fixtures against New Zealand A. KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, and Washington Sundar have all been included in the squad, as team management aims to give these players experience playing under Kiwi conditions ahead of the upcoming two-Test series.
India squad for New Zealand T20I series:
Shreyas Iyer ( c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson ( wk), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan ( wk), Tilak Varma ( vc), Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav
