Dinesh Karthik Spots Worrying Sign In Bhuvneshwar Kumar's India Return

The first T20I against New Zealand on Thursday marked the international return of veteran India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The right-arm seamer, who last represented India in 2022, earned a well-deserved recall after producing two outstanding IPL seasons in succession. However, his comeback match was far from ideal, as Bhuvneshwar endured an expensive outing. In his four-over spell, the 36-year-old conceded 49 runs without taking a wicket. Adding to his struggles, he bowled two no-balls, leaving former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik surprised.

Speaking on Cricbuzz, Karthik, who has spent considerable time alongside Bhuvneshwar in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru setup, suggested that the pacer might not yet be at his best physically.

"It was the no-balls that did him in. He's not somebody who generally bowls no-balls. I am not sure why, but it may have been a bit of nerves. Two no-balls in a game is unheard of for him. So I would put it down to the fact that he's not as ready as he would want to be. But if we look closely, his first and last overs were very good. However, the second and third overs had no-balls in it and that reflects in his analysis, as those were huge overs," said Karthik.

At the same time, Karthik defended Bhuvneshwar from criticism, urging fans and experts not to judge him solely on the basis of one game. He stressed that the veteran was playing his first international match in four years and deserved time and support.

"A lot of fans may be critical, but it's his first day back in international cricket. So cut him some slack. But he has to be aware that no-balls are not a habit he wants to develop. He knows he's better than that. But was he as good as he could be? Definitely not," he added.

As for the first T20I, New Zealand posted 225/5 after being asked to bat first. In reply, India chased down the target with two balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Sanju Samson starred with a blistering 67 off 33 balls, while Naman Dhir played the decisive hand, remaining unbeaten on 42 from just 15 deliveries to guide India home.

The second T20I between India and New Zealand will be played on Saturday at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

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