‘We were lacking that’: Iyer makes big admission as Bhuvneshwar returns

India captain Shreyas Iyer stated that the national team lacked experience before veteran fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned to the T20I squad. Bhuvneshwar is poised to play against New Zealand in Christchurch, which would mark his first international appearance since November 2022. Iyer credited the 36-year-old pacer's recent IPL success and noted his vital ability to lead an evolving bowling unit.

Bhuvneshwar helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru claim consecutive IPL titles in 2025 and 2026, taking 28 wickets in his most recent campaign. Across his international career, he has taken 90 T20I wickets and requires six more across all formats to reach 300 international wickets. Iyer also emphasized that India's batters must quickly adapt to New Zealand's pace-friendly conditions.