Bhuvneshwar Kumar has not played Test cricket for India since January 2018 but was the Player of the Series for the national team on his one and only tour of England in 2014.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Bhuvneshwar Kumar was India’s best bowler on his maiden Test tour of England
• Bhuvi picked 19 wickets and amassed 247 runs on the 2014 Test series in England which India lost 5-0
• But Bhuvneshwar was not picked in India’s squad for the WTC Final vs New Zealand

Former cricketer Aakash Chopra feels Team India are dearly missing the services of Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final against New Zealand in Southampton.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has not played Test cricket for India since January 2018 but was the Player of the Series for the national team on his one and only tour of England in 2014. Bhuvi picked 19 wickets at 26.63 with 2 five-wicket hauls and scored 247 runs in 5 Tests at 27.44 including 3 half-centuries on his maiden Test series in England.

Chopra therefore, reckons Bhuvneshwar should have been included in the Indian playing XI due to the swinging conditions in England instead of going in with 3 seamers – Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.

“India is definitely missing Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He has three special aspects as well. Firstly, he does magic with the new ball. Secondly, he bowls the long spells. And the third thing is that he can bat as well. He could have done everything for Team India,” Aakash Chopra told in his YouTube Channel.

Indian bowlers did not get as much swing with the Dukes ball in the ongoing WTC Final as compared to the New Zealand pacers Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson.

The match headed into the Reserve Day due to the time lost because of the rain breaks and bad light interruptions at the Ageas Bowl. The ‘Ultimate Test’ hangs in the balance at the moment with India 97 runs ahead in their second innings with 5 wickets in hand.

Rishabh Pant (28*) and Ravindra Jadeja (12*) took India to 130 for 5 at Lunch after resuming on their overnight score of 64 for 2. Kyle Jamieson removed Virat Kohli (13) and Cheteshwar Pujara (15) early in the first session before Trent Boult got Ajinkya Rahane caught down the leg side for 15.Live TV