‘Neither very good nor very bad’ – Ajay Jadeja assesses Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s comeback series

At Seddon Park in Hamilton on November 1, 2026, New Zealand chased down India’s total of 191 for 8 in 20 overs with two overs remaining to secure a seven-wicket victory in the fifth and final T20I. Tim Seifert’s aggressive 93 off 50 balls guided the Kiwis to victory, though India clinched the overall series 3-2 despite the loss. Ishan Kishan had scored 61, and captain Shreyas Iyer contributed 50 runs in India’s innings, but the total proved insufficient against New Zealand’s chase.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar made his return to international cricket after a four-year gap, having last played a T20I against New Zealand in Napier on November 22, 2022. Across the five-match series, he took one wicket while conceding 180 runs in four matches played. His recall for the final match after being benched in the fourth game drew scrutiny from former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja, who questioned the logic behind the selection decisions.

Jadeja raised concerns about India’s approach to Bhuvneshwar’s involvement throughout the series.

“I think it was interesting. It was a high-scoring series. You left him out after three matches and brought him back in the fifth. Did you expect to see something new? If someone has played for India for 12-15 years, he did what we have seen. If you see just the numbers, you will feel he was lacking,” Jadeja said on Sony LIV.

Assessing Bhuvneshwar’s overall contribution across the matches he featured in, Jadeja offered a balanced perspective on the veteran pacer’s performance.

“However, if you put the numbers of the other four with him, you will feel there is no difference. Even if you go deeper into the numbers, I feel average. Bhuvneshwar Kumar showed the experience you were expecting from him. He did his job, but it wasn’t an exceptional series. It was neither very good nor very bad,” he added.

What did Jadeja say about Bumrah’s absence?

Jadeja also reflected on the absence of Jasprit Bumrah from the T20I squad, emphasising the impact of the star bowler’s unavailability on India’s bowling unit. He stressed the irreplaceable nature of Bumrah’s contribution to the team’s attack.

“Bumrah is a special bowler. In whichever unit he plays, if he is not there, it’s a massive void. There is no replacement for him. No one can compensate for him. He will always be missed. There is no doubt about that, but India will have to get used to playing without Bumrah,” Jadeja said.