IND vs NZ 2021: 3 reasons why Bhuvneshwar Kumar shouldn't have been picked for the New Zealand T20I series

India's 16-man squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against New Zealand didn't have too many surprising selections.

As former captain Virat Kohli, lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah and premier all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja were rested, several new faces found a place in the squad, which will be led by Rohit Sharma. The pace department features five frontline bowlers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Siraj and Deepak Chahar, apart from a part-time option in Venkatesh Iyer.

India’s T20I squad for the New Zealand series: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj

Interestingly, one name sticks out due to poor recent performances - most notably in the Indian Premier League, which is in stark contrast to the other fast bowlers in the squad. Here are three reasons why Bhuvneshwar Kumar shouldn't have been picked in India's squad for the New Zealand T20I series.

---

#3 India have better long-term alternatives

India v England - 2nd One Day International

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is 31 years old and is nearing the end of his prime as a fast bowler. It might be time for India to look at younger pacers who can help the team build towards the future instead of relying on veterans who are on a downward spiral.

The next edition of the T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in Australia next year, which perhaps isn't a long enough turnaround to warrant India moving towards a younger team immediately. But the process must start immediately, and Bhuvneshwar may not be effective enough on the hard, bouncy pitches Australia is bound to offer.

Bowlers like Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh, who have impressed in the Indian Premier League and have immense potential, need to be incorporated into the national setup. Other options like Khaleel Ahmed and Shivam Mavi haven't done much to justify their immense potential recently, but India will have an eye on young quicks who can not only swing the ball but also bowl fast.

Even in India's current T20I squad, Bhuvneshwar is probably last in the pecking order, with all of Chahar, Siraj, Harshal and Avesh having breakthrough Indian Premier League campaigns.

---

#2 Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been in a prolonged period of poor form

Australia v India - ODI: Game 3

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was voted ICC Player of the Month in March earlier this year when he excelled in a white-ball assignment against England. He desperately needed to perform well in that series following a run of poor form, and he stepped up admirably to lead the Indian bowling attack.

However, since then, Bhuvneshwar has been a shadow of himself. He struggled to pick up wickets for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, scalping only six in 11 games. The pacer was then taken to the cleaners in India's first warm-up game ahead of the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup, before an improved outing in the next practice match bought him a place in the playing XI against Pakistan.

But familiar woes returned for Bhuvneshwar, who appeared toothless in the powerplay and conceded 25 runs in an unthreatening three-over spell. Things don't seem good for the 31-year-old, who has consistently found it difficult to hit the right lengths of late.

Both with the new ball and at the death, Bhuvneshwar has been a liability recently. He must be held accountable for his poor form at some point, and things have arguably already come to a head.

---

#1 Constant injuries have led to a drastic drop in Bhuvneshwar Kumar's pace

South Africa v India - ICC Cricket World Cup 2019

The most concerning aspect of Bhuvneshwar Kumar's recent decline has been his drop in pace. He has barely managed to touch the 130kmph-mark in the recent past, even while bowling the first over of his spell. This has led to quality batters finding it all too easy to counter him, even when there has been some movement on offer off the surface and in the air.

Injuries have been the biggest reason behind Bhuvneshwar's worries with pace. He has suffered thigh and hamstring injuries over the last two Indian Premier League seasons, missing several games in the process. The Meerut-born pacer has already been ignored for the longer formats of the game, with his injury history likely to worsen if he is subjected to the rigors of five-day cricket.

Given his current fitness levels and pace, Bhuvneshwar might not be a great option for India in the T20I series against New Zealand. He is still a quality bowler on his day, but he has been out of rhythm for some time now and things don't seem to be improving.