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Bhuvneshwar Kumar has made a sensational comeback to the Indian cricket team for the five-match T20 series against New Zealand, marking his return nearly four years after his last international appearance in November 2022. The series runs from October 22 to November 1, and Bhuvneshwar's inclusion alongside young pace options Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav has drawn attention for its potential developmental value.
R Sridhar, India's former fielding coach, spoke about Bhuvneshwar's role in the squad. Sridhar emphasised that beyond his function as a backup bowler, Bhuvneshwar's presence offers significant mentoring opportunities for the younger fast bowlers in the squad.
"I think I didn't mention it; I just thought about Bhuvi being a backup bowler for us in this series, but also just the fact that he'll be able to mentor a few young fast bowlers who are in the squad itself is exciting for me, for them to watch how he's handling pressure. How… Clear is about his execution. How he's got multiple options for the same field set. How… He is always out thinking the batter, one step ahead of the batter," Sridhar responded to CricTracker's query during an interaction arranged by Sony Sports Network.
Backup bowler and mentor for young pacers
Sridhar explained that young bowlers can observe and learn from Bhuvneshwar's approach to handling match situations and pressure. The former fielding coach highlighted how Bhuvneshwar's ability to recover after being hit for boundaries and finish overs effectively demonstrates qualities that developing fast bowlers need to understand.
"On the field, these are the things that they can observe about what Bhuvi is doing and also discuss with him. You know? A young bowler may not see different options in front of him and they lose clarity at the top of the mark when they are under the pressure. But someone like Bhuvi, despite being under pressure, the way he comes back after being hit for a boundary. Or the way he finishes the over with the last ball," Sridhar added.
Informal learning during the tour
Sridhar stressed that the learning opportunities extend beyond match situations to informal settings during the tour. He noted that young fast bowlers can gain valuable insights from Bhuvneshwar through conversations and interactions in various settings.
"So these are the things our young bowlers can observe closely from Bhuvi and learn from him and talk to him, pick on his brains during bus journeys, during airport lounges, during the breakfast table. During coffee chats. So I think these are the times when our young fast bowlers can really pick on Bhuvi's experience and learn a lot from him. So having Bhuvi on the tour is going to be invaluable for these young bowlers," he concluded.
Bhuvneshwar's recent form in the IPL 2026 demonstrated his continued effectiveness as a bowler. He took 28 wickets at an economy rate of 7.95 during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's successful title defence, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. The squad for the New Zealand series is led by captain Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma as deputy.
