Bhuvneshwar Kumar marked his return to the Indian T20 side at Hagley Oval in Christchurch after an absence of nearly four years. His previous appearance in the blue jersey had also come against New Zealand back in 2020 in Auckland. In a surprise selection decision, the 37-year-old veteran fast bowler was handed another opportunity to represent the national team. However, his comeback outing proved to be a difficult one as he leaked 49 runs across his four-over quota.
A Tough Day Out For The Entire Indian Bowling Attack
India winning the toss and choosing to bowl first backfired completely as New Zealand registered their highest ever T20 total against India. The hosts put up a formidable mountain of 225 runs for the loss of four wickets in their 20 overs. It was not just Bhuvneshwar who bore the brunt of the onslaught, as every Indian bowler struggled to contain the flow of runs. Axar Patel turned out to be the most expensive bowler, conceding 51 runs in his four overs while picking up a solitary wicket. Arshdeep Singh finished with figures of 45 for 1 in four overs, Mayank Yadav leaked 40 runs for 1 wicket in his four overs, and Nitish Kumar Reddy conceded 40 runs without taking a wicket.
Over-By-Over Breakdown Of Bhuvneshwar's Spell
Bhuvneshwar started off on a promising note during his opening over, keeping the Kiwi batters quiet with disciplined lines and conceding only four singles and doubles. The momentum shifted in his second over where he proved expensive, giving away two fours and a six alongside a no-ball, totaling 17 runs. Captain Shreyas Iyer brought him back into the attack for his third over when New Zealand had advanced to 158 for 3 after 15 overs. The partnership of Bevan Jacobs and Glenn Phillips targeted him again, adding 14 runs to the total. Entrusted with the responsibility of bowling the 20th and final over of the New Zealand innings, the veteran fast bowler was once more taken to task by the aggressive batters.
