Recently, the national selectors have announced the 15-member Indian squad for the upcoming home T20I series against South Africa. Only Bhuvneshwar Kumar has missed out the latest squad from the last T20I squad. According to media reports, Kumar is unavailable for this series because he is unwell.
South Africa will start their forthcoming India tour with the three-match T20I series from 15th September. On Thursday (29th August), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming home T20I series.
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Apart from the 29-year-old pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the selectors have maintained all other 14 members of their last T20I squad. In early August, India played a three-match T20I series against Windies in the USA and West Indies. India won that series by 3-0.
Talking about the change in the Indian squads between Windies series and the upcoming South Africa series, Hardik Pandya replaced Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
It was not the rest for Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Initially, many thought that Bhuvneshwar Kumar had taken rest from the forthcoming T20I series. However, a source has revealed Times of India that Kumar is unwell, so he is unavailable for this series.
A source told TOI, “Bhuvneshwar has not been given rest. It is claimed that he is unavailable because he is unwell.”
Bhuvneshwar Kumar featured in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The right-arm pacer bagged ten wickets in six matches in that tournament.
In the ongoing USA and Caribbean tour, Kumar was in the limited-overs squads and played all those limited-overs matches. He took three wickets in the T20I series. Meanwhile, in the ODI series, he finished with two wicket-less bowling figures but one four-wicket haul. In the second ODI of this tour at Port of Spain, Kumar had the bowling figures of 8-0-31-4.
Coming to India’s forthcoming three-match home T20I series against South Africa, Dharamshala, Mohali and Bengaluru will host these matches.