"I cannot understand why he was dropped" - Mohammad Kaif slams team management after NZ vs IND 2026 4th T20I

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif slammed the team management for dropping veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He was left out of the playing XI for the fourth T20I against New Zealand. The Men in Blue suffered an 87-run defeat in that game.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar's comeback was not a fairy-tale one. He struggled in the three games he played, giving away 139 runs from 12 overs at an economy rate of 11.58, with just one wicket. However, Mohammad Kaif was surprised. He highlighted how all bowlers have gone for runs from both teams in this series. Kaif added that the veteran pacer could have been given two more games, as India had already sealed the series.

"I was surprised that Bhuvneshwar was dropped. There are at least 10-11 bowlers from both teams, and each of them has a high economy. Everyone is leaking runs. So I cannot understand why he was dropped. If everyone is going for runs, you cannot pick out one person like this. He is coming back after four years. You have also won the series. It is not like a do-or-die situation that you had to make this change. I do not agree with this. He should have gotten the entire series before deciding," he said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Mohammad Kaif believed that the management should have supported him despite a few bad games, given that he is making a comeback after four years. He also argued that Bhuvneshwar would help in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. The former cricketer acknowledged that the pacer has not been what everyone expected him to be, but pointed out that it has been a tough series for bowlers overall.

"When you are aware of his capabilities, you should have stood by him even if two or three games were bad. Anyhow, there is no Bumrah and all new bowlers. I understand we are disappointed, and he was not in the flow that we expected. I am sure Bhuvneshwar realises this himself. But he was not the only one getting hit. You would get a clear picture after giving him all five games. This is a hasty call. Everyone is getting hit anyway."

New Zealand posted a massive total of 259/7 in the fourth T20I and restricted India to 172/9. Therefore, Shreyas Iyer and his team's unbeaten run in the series came to an end.

Mohammad Kaif takes a stand for veteran pacer

Despite the poor returns in the three matches, Mohammad Kaif took a firm stand for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He reckoned that the veteran pacer cannot be judged based on three matches and stated that the management should have shown more faith.

"He returned on the back of great form. But I still have the belief. I do not agree that Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a bad bowler just on the basis of three matches. The management also has to think like this and stand by him. He should have gotten that support. But the start has been bad, and he was dropped, so I don't know now. If you had to drop him, you should have done it after the entire series," Mohammad Kaif said.

It remains to be seen whether Bhuvneshwar will come back into the playing XI for the final T20I and also whether he will be picked for the upcoming series. The fifth T20I will be played on Sunday, November 1, in Hamilton.

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