Swing King’s Return Not What Team India Expected?

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has struggled in his first two T20Is after returning to the Indian team following four years, but bowling coach Morne Morkel has asked him not to worry about outside expectations and focus on his own game.

The 36 year old pacer conceded 49 runs without taking a wicket in the first T20I against New Zealand. He then picked up one wicket while giving away 50 runs in the second match.

His performances have come after an impressive IPL 2026 season, where he took 28 wickets in 16 matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Speaking about Bhuvneshwar‘s return, Morkel said there would naturally be expectations after the pacer’s successful IPL campaign.

Despite, he also pointed out that returning to international cricket after four years is not easy, especially when there is limited time to prepare.

Morkel said the message from the beginning was simple Bhuvneshwar should not chase anything and should just be himself.

The coach believes the experienced pacer needs time to find his rhythm again, with every game giving him another opportunity to settle back into the side.

Bhuvneshwar has built his reputation on swing bowling and his ability to deliver in different phases of a T20 innings. Despite, his first two outings have shown that his IPL form has not immediately carried over to international cricket.

India will hope the experienced pacer can improve as the series progresses. Morkel’s message suggests the team management is prepared to give him time rather than judge his comeback on just two matches. The challenge now is for Bhuvneshwar to turn that backing into better performances on the field.