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The series decider is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The five-match contest is level at 2-2 after West Indies won the fourth T20I in Hyderabad by 24 runs.
Bhuvneshwar’s addition gives India an experienced pace option for the final match. The right-arm seamer has also earned a recall to India’s T20I squad for the upcoming New Zealand series after a four-year absence from international T20 cricket.
Reports said Arshdeep hurt his bowling shoulder during the fourth T20I and would miss the final match against West Indies. The extent of the injury and his availability for future fixtures should be confirmed through an official medical update.
India and West Indies enter the fifth match level at 2-2, setting up a winner-takes-all finish in Bengaluru. India’s original T20I squad for the series included Arshdeep among its frontline pace options, while Bhuvneshwar was named in the squad for the subsequent New Zealand tour.
Bhuvneshwar’s control with the new ball and experience in the format could be valuable in a high-pressure decider, although his selection for this match should not be taken as confirmation of a longer-term change to India’s plans.
