On October 27, 2026, during the third game of the series against New Zealand in Wellington, Bhuvneshwar Kumar made his T20I comeback after a four-year hiatus. After a challenging start in the first three Twenty20 Internationals, where he struggled to replicate the form that earned him recall, the veteran seamer’s return has drawn criticism.
The former Indian batsman Mohammad Kaif has expressed serious concerns regarding Bhuvneshwar’s performance during the current tour. While acknowledging moments of good bowling, Kaif voiced concerns about the 36-year-old seamer’s general discipline and consistency. Now, it is a cause for concern. He’s slowed down a bit. There has been less discipline in the bowling. Many things that we are not accustomed to seeing from him have occurred.
Mohammad Kaif stated, “I still feel that, in phases, he is doing well. “Perhaps that anxiety is still present. I still think we should give him a chance to play in the next two games. He himself will be let down. According to YouTube, he continued, “I would want to see what he does in the last two games.”
What did Mohammad Kaif say about the nervousness and form of Bhuvneshwar Kumar?
Bhuvneshwar has recorded an economy rate of 11.58 over the first three Twenty20 Internationals of the series, giving up 139 runs in 12 overs while taking just one wicket. He conceded 49 runs in four overs and went wicketless in the first game at Christchurch. In Wellington on October 27, he returned figures of 0 for 40 from four overs, while in the second Twenty20 International, he took one wicket but gave up fifty runs.
Bhuvneshwar’s impressive domestic league performances earned him a recall to the T20I team. After four years away from the format, he showed form that justified his return to international cricket by taking 27 wickets in IPL 2025 and 28 in IPL 2026.
Mohammad Kaif also considered the wider strain that the Indian team was under while on the tour. Citing New Zealand captain Tom Santner’s struggles as an example of how pressure affects decision-making and clarity of thought on the field, he pointed out that even senior players and captains experience mental challenges when a team is struggling.Even the biggest player or captain is under pressure because of the way India is playing.
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I noticed Santner. “In captaincy, his brain was not functioning at all,” Kaif stated. He arrived to bowl so late. However, your mind stops functioning when you are being struck like this. Because of the pressure, there was no mental clarity,” he continued.
