Former Indian batter Ajay Jadeja admitted Bhuvneshwar Kumar was not up to the mark in the T20I series against New Zealand. Jadeja said the veteran seamer did what he was expected to do in the four games he played.
Kumar was added to India’s T20I squad after he scalped 28 wickets in 16 matches of IPL 2026 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and played a key role in the franchise’s success. But, the veteran seamer didn’t have a great return to Indian colors as he scalped one wicket at an average of 180 in four games and conceded his runs at an economy rate of 11.25.
Bhuvneshwar returned with figures of 0-41 in four overs he bowled in the final T20I at Hamilton after he was dropped in the penultimate game.
“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,” Ajay Jadeja said on SonyLiv when asked about Kumar’s performance in the T20I series.
The former Indian batter said Kumar had an average series as he was not at his absolute best.
“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,” Jadeja observed.
On the other hand, Jadeja admitted there is no replacement for gun fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and his absence leaves a huge void in the team.
“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,” he replied.
India will next take on New Zealand in a five-match ODI series.
