NEW DELHI: New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has identified Bhuvneshwar Kumar as a potential threat in the five-match T20I series against India, warning that the veteran pacer’s ability to exploit movement in the air and off the pitch could make him particularly dangerous in familiar swinging conditions.Bhuvneshwar is returning to India’s T20I setup after nearly four years, and the opening match is scheduled at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Thursday. For New Zealand, his comeback presents a challenge that goes beyond experience: the 36-year-old’s mastery of the new ball could prove decisive in conditions traditionally suited to swing bowling.“I think Bhuvi will love these conditions in New Zealand. If there’s anything in the wicket, he’ll find something out of it,” Santner said on the eve of the series opener. “[Even] on some flat ones in India, he still manages to nip the ball and swing the ball. So with the new ball out here especially, he’ll be a challenge.”
Why Bhuvneshwar could be New Zealand’s biggest early threat
Bhuvneshwar’s strength lies in his ability to move the ball both ways, trouble batters with his control and make the most of even limited assistance from the surface. New Zealand’s conditions could amplify those qualities, particularly during the powerplay, when batters are expected to attack but the new ball can offer assistance to seamers.Santner contrasted the challenges of bowling in India’s increasingly high-scoring T20 conditions with the prospect of finding more assistance at home.“I mean in India it’s pretty challenging as a bowler these days, like we’ve seen in the recent series (against West Indies], 250 getting chased down – who wants to be a bowler? – but he might like it out here a little better,” Santner said.The numbers underline Bhuvneshwar’s experience in the format. He has taken 90 wickets in 87 T20Is at an average of 23.10, including two five-wicket hauls and three four-wicket hauls.His recent IPL resurgence has further strengthened his case for an international comeback. Playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he took 28 wickets in 16 matches in the 2026 season at an average of 17.89 and an economy rate of 7.95, helping the franchise secure its second consecutive title.Across the 2025 and 2026 IPL seasons, he claimed 45 wickets in 31 matches, offering evidence that his experience and skill remain valuable in the shortest format.
Shreyas Iyer backs veteran pacer’s experience
India captain Shreyas Iyer believes Bhuvneshwar’s return will add valuable experience to a bowling attack that has featured several newer faces.“Bhuvi, like you said, brings a lot of experience in the team,” Iyer said. “That was something we lacked, especially after the IPL we had a lot of new bowlers. If you see Bhuvi’s career graph in the last two years, he’s won the IPL also so he knows very well how to dominate this format.”Bhuvneshwar now has an opportunity to reach 100 T20I wickets, needing 10 more to join Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel among Indian bowlers to achieve the milestone.
