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Playing Bhuvneshwar Kumar a 'mistake' by selectors, says T20 World Cup winner Irfan Pathan

Former India T20 World Cup winner Irfan Pathan has criticized the BCCI selectors for including 36-year-old Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the recent five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which concluded with a 3-2 victory for India. Pathan argued that the decision was misguided, given Kumar’s return to the team after a four-year absence and the lack of proximity to the T20 World Cup.

Despite a strong IPL 2026 season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru—where he took 16 wickets at an economy of 7.95—Kumar struggled in the series, managing just one wicket across the first three matches while conceding runs at an economy rate of 11.58. His performances included figures of 0/49 and 1/50 in the opening two games, prompting his replacement by Mayank Yadav in the fourth T20I.

Pathan emphasized that the series presented a missed opportunity to develop young fast bowlers like Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav, who could have gained valuable experience on New Zealand’s challenging pitches. He suggested that the selectors should have prioritized exposing emerging talent rather than recalling a veteran bowler whose skills were not fully on display during the series.

The debate highlights broader concerns about India’s approach to nurturing young pacers ahead of future tournaments.

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