‘No reason to write him off’: Rahane urges patience with Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Ajinkya Rahane has backed Bhuvneshwar Kumar despite the experienced pacer's expensive return to international cricket, urging critics not to judge him too harshly after three difficult outings in the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand.

Bhuvneshwar conceded 49, 50 and 40 runs across his first three matches, managing just one wicket. While he showed glimpses of his ability to generate swing with the new ball, the veteran pacer appeared short of rhythm in other phases of the game. However, Rahane believes a few below-par performances should not overshadow Bhuvneshwar's experience or his determination to make a comeback in Indian colours.

“I don’t think we should judge him or overthink how he has bowled. He is an experienced player and would certainly reflect on where he fell short and what he could have done better. As far as his performances are concerned, ups and downs are part of the game. Sometimes, as a bowler, you may not find your rhythm, but that is no reason to write him off. Bhuvneshwar Kumar would certainly know what he could have done better,” Rahane said on his YouTube channel.

Rahane said Bhuvneshwar's return itself deserved recognition, adding that the pacer should be appreciated for continuing to work towards representing India rather than being written off after a difficult series.

“For me, the biggest story is that he has made a comeback at this age. We should learn from this that, as a bowler, you must never give up. Keep doing your job, and things will eventually fall into place. You never know; he could take five wickets in the next match, and things could change immediately. Bhuvneshwar is a bowler who certainly reflects on his game, but he is also confident in his abilities and is a confident person overall,” he said.

Bhuvneshwar has had some success with the new ball during the series, but his struggles to contain the opposition have come against the backdrop of increasingly batter-friendly T20 cricket. India's dominance with the bat has underlined the challenge facing bowlers in the format.

The hosts chased down 225 in the opening T20I, followed it up by hunting down 180 in the second match and then produced another emphatic performance in the third game. India sealed the five-match series with two matches remaining after Abhishek Sharma smashed 113 and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi contributed 45 in the third T20I in Wellington.

The opening pair combined for 118 runs in the powerplay as India chased down the target of 199 in just 13.2 overs.

While Bhuvneshwar endured a difficult run, Rahane was impressed by fellow left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who made an impact with the ball during the series.

“Talking about Arshdeep, he looked in very good form and displayed a great rhythm. He picked up wickets in the powerplay, both in the previous match and in the third T20I. He is a very important player for the Indian team. He has played more than 100 T20Is and is approaching the 150-wicket mark,” Rahane said.

India will face New Zealand in the fourth T20I in Auckland on Friday, with the visitors already assured of a series victory. The remaining matches will give Bhuvneshwar another opportunity to find his rhythm and respond to the criticism surrounding his comeback.