Former Indian batter Subramaniam Badrinath has backed Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the 2027 ODI World Cup, stating he can be considered for the ODI showpiece. The veteran seamer was added to the T20I squad after an impressive run in IPL 2026 for RCB.
The veteran seamer bagged 28 wickets in 16 matches of IPL 2026 and played an instrumental role in taking Royal Challengers Bengaluru to glory. The swing master has performed consistently in the recent past and also scalped 14 wickets in 11 matches while leading Lucknow Falcons in UP T20 League 2026.
However, Bhuvneshwar isn’t playing any 50-over tournaments in the domestic circuit, which raises questions about his readiness for the format.
Badrinath said on his YouTube Channel, “The New Zealand conditions will be ideal for his comeback. He troubled batters in India itself, so he should exploit these conditions very well. And if he delivers and proves his fitness, he can be considered for the 2027 ODI World Cup. He should also be willing, though, so the team management should have a conversation with him. They should confirm with him whether he can bowl 10 overs and express their desire to have him for the World Cup in South Africa.”
On the other hand, the former CSK batter said Sanju Samson should open in all five T20Is against New Zealand along with Abhishek Sharma.
“Sanju Samson scored in two of the five matches against the West Indies. He should open with Abhishek Sharma in all five T20Is in New Zealand,” said Badrinath (via the aforementioned source).
Samson recently scored 168 runs in five T20Is against the West Indies at an average of 33.60 and a strike rate of 195.35.
The first T20I between India and New Zealand will be played at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Thursday.
