"He can be considered for the 2027 ODI World Cup" - S Badrinath's gushing praise for star bowler ahead of NZ vs IND 2026 T20Is

Former Indian batter Subramaniam Badrinath believes veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar could be in contention for the 2027 ODI World Cup based on his performance in the upcoming T20I series in New Zealand. Team India included the 36-year-old after a four-year absence, with his last international match coming in November 2022.

Bhuvneshwar was the standout bowler in IPL 2026, finishing second in wickets with 28 and helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) win their second title.

Talking about Bhuvneshwar Kumar's return to international cricket, Badrinath said on his YouTube channel, Cric it with Badri (8:45):

Bhuvneshwar's absence from ODIs has been even longer than in T20Is, with his last 50-over game for India coming in January 2022. Meanwhile, the 2027 ODI World Cup is less than a year away.

"He should open with Abhishek Sharma in all five T20Is" - S Badrinath on Sanju Samson

Subramaniam Badrinath believes Team India should open with Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma in all five T20Is in New Zealand. Given Samson’s inconsistent form since the 2026 T20 World Cup, several fans and experts have called for Vaibhav Suryavanshi to be India’s regular T20I opener.

Samson and Abhishek opened in the four completed matches of the recent 2-2 home T20I draw against the West Indies.

Samson, Abhishek and Suryavanshi are part of the Indian squad for the T20I series in New Zealand, which starts tomorrow (October 22).

Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran