Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has raised serious questions over the selectors' decision to bring Bhuvneshwar Kumar back into India's T20I squad for the recently concluded series against New Zealand. Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned to the India National Cricket Team after a gap of four years.

However, the experienced fast bowler struggled throughout the four matches he played in the T20I series, picking up just one wicket while giving away 180 runs against New Zealand. Pathan believes the selectors missed a golden opportunity by not testing young fast bowlers.

Irfan Pathan slams Indian selectors for Bhuvneshwar Kumar's T20I comeback

India started the five-match T20I series with three successive victories. However, the touring side lost its final two matches, ending the series on a disappointing note in New Zealand.

After the T20I series 3-2, Irfan Pathan questioned what the Indian selectors wanted to achieve by bringing Bhuvneshwar Kumar back into the T20I setup at this stage. Amid this, “Ready to take the bullet”: Gautam Gambhir takes responsibility after India’s consecutive defeats vs New Zealand.

He acknowledged the pacer's experience and bowling ability but felt that the team management should have focused on preparing younger players for the future. He also pointed out that if the selectors wanted to use Bhuvneshwar's experience for the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2027, his selection could have made more sense.

Irfan Pathan said in a video posted on his YouTube channel, "In my opinion, where did the selectors go wrong? They made a mistake by playing Bhuvneshwar Kumar in this series. Look, there is no doubt that Bhuvneshwar is a good bowler and a senior player. However, playing him here, when the T20 World Cup is nowhere near, was questionable. If you were preparing Bhuvneshwar for the 50-over World Cup, which is closer, that would have made sense.”

Irfan Pathan names two young pacers who missed big opportunity due to Bhuvneshwar Kumar's comeback

Pathan's biggest concern was not just Bhuvneshwar's performance but the opportunity that young Indian fast bowlers missed because of his selection. He believes that Mayank Yadav could have played all five matches and gained valuable international experience of playing in New Zealand.

The former pacer said that young pacer Prince Yadav could also have been given an opportunity to prove himself against New Zealand and gain that exposure. He added, “You missed a valuable opportunity for your fast bowlers to gain good experience on New Zealand soil.”

Pathan also made it clear that he was not questioning Bhuvneshwar's bowling skills because of his expensive figures. The former World Cup winner added, “I'm not saying this because Bhuvneshwar didn't perform well. That's not the case. Although he was a bit unlucky—he bowled well in his first two overs, but later, when he bowled the final over of the powerplay, he conceded runs. These things happen to any player. There is no question about his skill.”

Pathan takes indirect dig at selectors over Bhuvneshwar Kumar's comeback

However, Irfan Pathan wants the selectors to think more carefully about the timing of such comebacks. The cricket pandit feels India's opportunities should be given to youngsters instead of bringing back experienced players without a clear long-term plan.

Pathan signed off by saying, “The question is definitely about the timing. Would this have been a better opportunity for a young fast bowler? I believe it would have been. You have to understand that if you want to develop fast bowlers, it is very important to give them opportunities and let them play on true pitches, where the margin for error is very low.”