Bhuvneshwar Kumar's return to the Team India lineup fell far short of expectations. The 36-year-old, who marked his comeback in the national team colors after almost four years, did not manage to show his actual potential and was costly in two back-to-back matches.

Ahead of the third T20I of the 5-match series against New Zealand, former India National Cricket Team batter Mohammad Kaif expressed his views on Bhuvneshwar Kumar's recent stint with the team. Kaif urged all of the Indian cricket fans to hold some patience as Kumar can show his class in the series.

Mohammad Kaif on Bhuvneshwar Kumar's recent performances for Team India

Kumar was out of the national cricket team for about four years, but kept himself regular in domestic matches, including playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He got a major boost in his career when he helped the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to win their maiden title in 2025 and then played a vital part for the team in defending the title in the very next season.

Mohammad Kaif stated in his YouTube video that there are a lot of differences between playing for the national cricket team and playing for an IPL team. He felt that to get accustomed to the top-end cricket, after a long gap, Bhuvneshwar Kumar needs some time.

Kaif further noted that the pitches in New Zealand mostly supported the batters in the previous two matches. In SENA nations, traditionally, bowlers used to get support from the pitches. But the pitches in New Zealand showed different characteristics, favoring the batters, but not favoring the bowlers who relied on swing. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is among those rare bowlers in modern-day cricket whose main weapon is moving the ball in both ways.

"He is coming back after four years. Give him some time. It has been only two games. Cricket changes a lot in four years. We feel that he will pick a wicket on the very first ball. The game has gone to new heights. Playing in the IPL and playing for India is very different. People thought the ball would swing a lot in New Zealand, but the batting conditions are actually good here. Right away, he is back against a strong team," he said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Early to judge: Mohammad Kaif on Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Kumar returned with 0/49 in the first T20I and 1/50 in the second match of the ongoing contest. Kaif, a former RCB cricketer, observed that there were a few phases where Kumar leaked most of the runs in both games.

"It is early to judge right now. Yes, he will have to work on the no-balls. That is changing the momentum for him. It shows 50 off four overs, but if you break it down over by over, his bowling has been decent. Wait for the whole series and then analyse. He has bowled well in patches," Mohammad Kaif added.