{"id":265944,"date":"2026-10-05T08:47:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T08:47:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/05\/bhuvneshwar-kumar-makes-stunning-team-india-return-as-captain\/"},"modified":"2026-10-05T08:47:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T08:47:16","slug":"bhuvneshwar-kumar-makes-stunning-team-india-return-as-captain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/05\/bhuvneshwar-kumar-makes-stunning-team-india-return-as-captain\/","title":{"rendered":"Bhuvneshwar Kumar Makes Stunning Team India Return as Captain"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is making his much-awaited return to Team India \u2014 and that too as captain. But there is a catch. This is not a comeback to India\u2019s main international team. The veteran pacer will return in Indian colours as captain of the seven-member squad for the Hong Kong Sixes 2026, scheduled to be played from October 30 to November 1.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Bhuvneshwar, the announcement is significant because he continues to be overlooked by India\u2019s senior team despite consistently performing at the IPL level. Even after being one of the top wicket-takers in the last IPL season and showing that he still has plenty to offer with the ball, an international recall has remained out of reach.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">India have continued to try different fast-bowling options, but Bhuvneshwar has remained outside the senior setup despite his experience and recent performances. The Hong Kong Sixes, however, has recognised his value in a major way \u2014 he has not merely been selected to represent India, but has been handed the captaincy.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"article-ad article-ad--first\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\"><span class=\"article-ad__label\">Advertisement<\/span><\/aside>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finally, Bhuvneshwar Kumar Returns in India Colours<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bhuvneshwar last represented India\u2019s senior international team in 2022. Since then, opportunities at the highest level have disappeared even though he has continued playing competitive cricket and delivering in the IPL.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is what makes his Hong Kong Sixes selection particularly interesting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At 36, Bhuvneshwar remains one of India\u2019s most experienced active fast bowlers. His ability with the new ball, variations at the death and years of experience in pressure situations make him an important player in a format as explosive as the Hong Kong Sixes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And after years of waiting for another opportunity in Indian colours, his comeback will come with an additional responsibility \u2014 <strong>captaining the team<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ci-read-next\" aria-label=\"Related reading\"><a class=\"ci-read-next__link\" href=\"https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/odi-series-star-india-west-indies-t20i\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"ci-read-next__media\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><noscript><\/noscript><img width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/odi-series-star-india-west-indies-t20i-300x169.webp\" class=\"lazyload attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"CRIC Informer\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 96px, 176px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/odi-series-star-india-west-indies-t20i-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/odi-series-star-india-west-indies-t20i-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/odi-series-star-india-west-indies-t20i-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/odi-series-star-india-west-indies-t20i.webp 1280w\"\/><\/span><span class=\"ci-read-next__body\"><span class=\"ci-read-next__label\">Read next <span aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2192<\/span><\/span><strong class=\"ci-read-next__title\">ODI Series Star Earns T20I Call-Up for India vs West Indies Series<\/strong><span class=\"ci-read-next__summary\">West Indies add their ODI series star to the T20I setup after a brilliant campaign against India, strengthening their batting options.<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/aside>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Krunal Pandya Also Gets His Chance<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bhuvneshwar is not the only experienced player in this squad who has remained away from India\u2019s senior setup.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Krunal Pandya has also been performing strongly with both bat and ball but has not found a way back into the senior Indian team.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Hong Kong Sixes squad gives both experienced players another opportunity to represent India, while explosive IPL performers such as Shashank Singh, Rahul Tewatia, Nitish Rana and Rahul Tripathi add serious batting firepower.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"article-ad article-ad--middle\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\"><span class=\"article-ad__label\">Advertisement<\/span><\/aside>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">T. Natarajan joins Bhuvneshwar in the pace department, giving India two experienced fast-bowling options.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">India Squad for Hong Kong Sixes 2026<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">India have selected seven players for the tournament, although only six players can feature in a match.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\n<table class=\"has-fixed-layout\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Player<\/th>\n<th>Role<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Bhuvneshwar Kumar (C)<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Fast Bowler<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Krunal Pandya<\/td>\n<td>All-rounder<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Shashank Singh<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>All-rounder<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rahul Tewatia<\/td>\n<td>All-rounder<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nitish Rana<\/td>\n<td>Batter\/All-rounder<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rahul Tripathi<\/td>\n<td>Batter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>T. Natarajan<\/td>\n<td>Fast Bowler<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The combination gives India plenty of power-hitting as well as players capable of contributing in more than one department \u2014 something that becomes extremely important in six-a-side cricket.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">India Will Look to Forget Disappointing 2025 Campaign<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">India\u2019s Hong Kong Sixes campaign in 2025 started on a high when they defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by two runs via the DLS method.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, things quickly went downhill. India suffered consecutive defeats after that promising beginning and eventually failed to make a major impact in the tournament.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pakistan went on to win the competition and will enter the 2026 edition as the <strong>defending champions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This time, India have once again been placed alongside Pakistan, with UAE completing Group C.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">India Schedule for Hong Kong Sixes 2026<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\n<table class=\"has-fixed-layout\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Date<\/th>\n<th>Match<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>October 30, 2026<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>India vs Pakistan<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>October 31, 2026<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>UAE vs India<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tournament will be played from October 30 to November 1, with 12 teams participating across three days.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eight major cricketing nations and four Associate Members are part of the competition, with the teams divided into four groups.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For India, there will naturally be expectations of a much stronger campaign than 2025. But for Bhuvneshwar Kumar personally, the tournament carries another meaning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After being consistently overlooked by the senior Indian team despite continuing to perform at the IPL level, <strong>Bhuvneshwar Kumar is finally back representing India \u2014 and he returns as the captain.<\/strong><\/p>\n<aside class=\"ci-read-next\" aria-label=\"Related reading\"><a class=\"ci-read-next__link\" href=\"https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wide-ball-goes-for-6-without-bouncing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"ci-read-next__media\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><noscript><img width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/wide-ball-goes-for-6-without-bouncing-300x169.webp\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"CRIC Informer\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 96px, 176px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/wide-ball-goes-for-6-without-bouncing-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/wide-ball-goes-for-6-without-bouncing-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/wide-ball-goes-for-6-without-bouncing-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/wide-ball-goes-for-6-without-bouncing.webp 1200w\"\/><\/noscript><img width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/wide-ball-goes-for-6-without-bouncing-300x169.webp\" class=\"lazyload attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"CRIC Informer\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 96px, 176px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/wide-ball-goes-for-6-without-bouncing-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/wide-ball-goes-for-6-without-bouncing-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/wide-ball-goes-for-6-without-bouncing-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/wide-ball-goes-for-6-without-bouncing.webp 1200w\"\/><\/span><span class=\"ci-read-next__body\"><span class=\"ci-read-next__label\">Read next <span aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2192<\/span><\/span><strong class=\"ci-read-next__title\">Watch: Never Seen Before in Cricket! Wide Ball goes for 6 without bouncing.<\/strong><span class=\"ci-read-next__summary\">Watch a never-seen-before cricket moment as a wide ball goes for 6 without bouncing during the Canada Super 60, leaving everyone stunned.<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/aside>\n<section id=\"ci-article-share\" aria-labelledby=\"ci-share-heading\" data-url=\"https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/bhuvneshwar-kumar-team-india-captain\/\" data-title=\"Bhuvneshwar Kumar Makes Stunning Team India Return as Captain\" data-copied=\"Link copied!\" data-manual=\"Select and copy the article link below.\">\n<h2 id=\"ci-share-heading\" class=\"ci-share__heading\">Share this article<\/h2>\n<p>\n        <label for=\"ci-share-link\">Article link<\/label><br \/>\n        <input id=\"ci-share-link\" type=\"text\" readonly=\"readonly\" value=\"https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/bhuvneshwar-kumar-team-india-captain\/\"\/>\n    <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"ci-content-follow\" aria-labelledby=\"ci-follow-heading\">\n<div class=\"ci-follow__strip\">\n<h2 id=\"ci-follow-heading\" class=\"ci-follow__heading\">Get cricket updates. Follow CricInformer:<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ci-follow__app\">\n<h3 class=\"ci-follow__app-heading\">\n            <svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M7 17H5a4 4 0 0 1-.8-7.9 7 7 0 0 1 13.4-1A4.5 4.5 0 0 1 19 17h-2M12 12v10m-4-4 4 4 4-4\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n            Download the CricInformer app        <\/h3>\n<div class=\"ci-follow__app-body\">\n<p>Take CricInformer with you. Get our app for cricket news and updates on your phone.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<aside class=\"article-ad article-ad--end\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\"><span class=\"article-ad__label\">Advertisement<\/span><\/aside>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cricinformer.com\/bhuvneshwar-kumar-team-india-captain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Finally, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is making his much-awaited return to Team India \u2014 and that too as captain. But there is a catch. This is not a comeback to India\u2019s main international team. The veteran pacer will return in Indian colours as captain of the seven-member squad for the Hong Kong Sixes 2026, scheduled to be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":265945,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6803],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-265944","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cricket"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265944","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265944"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265944\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/265945"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}