Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s experience makes his return to the T20I squad a straightforward selection call, while describing India’s tour of New Zealand as a crucial examination of the team’s direction across formats.

“There is no substitute for experience. It’s not bought or sold in the market, so when you have experience with that kind of quality, it’s a no-brainer,” Shastri said of Bhuvneshwar, who has returned to the Indian T20I set-up after a four-year hiatus.

The 36-year-old’s recall follows impressive performances for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL, where he played a key role in the franchise’s consecutive title triumphs. “With the kind of form he showed in the IPL and the years he’s been around India, he’ll be ideal for New Zealand conditions, or for that matter, any conditions,” Shastri said.

India will play five T20Is and five ODIs alongside two Tests during the tour. While the longest format carries significant weight in the World Test Championship race, Shastri cautioned against viewing the other legs in isolation.

“The Test series is important. The emphasis now will be on the one-day game as well as T20. The whole tour of New Zealand is an important tour,” he said. “The full one and a half month is going to be critical because it will tell you where Indian cricket is going in the future. Conditions in New Zealand might be a little similar to what you might encounter in South Africa.”

Shastri also identified the tour as a significant challenge for ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill, despite the batter’s familiarity with New Zealand conditions.

“He is in prime form. He has always done well in New Zealand right from a young age. But for a young captain travelling there overseas, it will be a challenge,” he said.

On Rohit Sharma’s preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup, Shastri advocated continuity rather than reinvention.

“He doesn’t have to change for anybody in the world. He has been getting runs. There’s very little he has to change, and if there’s anything to be changed, he will know it better than anybody else,” he said.

(Watch India’s tour of New Zealand live and exclusive on Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV from October 22.)

Suryakumar Yadav’s prolonged lean patch with the bat could have ramifications beyond the Indian Premier League, with his T20I captaincy and even his place in the squad likely to come under scrutiny ahead of India’s tour of Ireland next month.

The Hindu understands that India’s T20I succession plan is expected to be informally discussed on the sidelines of the senior national selection committee meeting in Guwahati on May 19. While the meeting has officially been convened to pick the Test squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, the selectors are also likely to initiate conversations around the T20I set-up for the Ireland and England tours, for which the squad will be selected early in June.

It will be the first in-person meeting of the selection panel since India’s T20 World Cup triumph on March 8 under Suryakumar’s leadership. Initially, a section of the selectors, team management and the BCCI hierarchy had been inclined towards continuing with the winning combination through the Ireland and England assignments.

However, Suryakumar’s “evident struggles” with the bat — first during the World Cup and now in IPL 2026 — have prompted some within the decision-making group to acknowledge that the transition process may need to begin sooner rather than later.

Despite the ODI World Cup in 2027 remaining the larger focus, the 2028 T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand presents India with a rare chance to chase a third successive title. With Suryakumar set to turn 36 in September, there is growing belief among stakeholders that he may not remain part of the long-term T20 roadmap.

The challenge, however, lies in succession itself. India do not yet have a clear and proven candidate waiting in the wings.

Suryakumar’s batting numbers have dipped noticeably since taking over as permanent T20I captain in July 2024. Barring a strong IPL 2025 campaign, he has struggled to consistently impose himself with the bat — a downturn that has now spilled into the ongoing season as well.

Nabi in line for maiden Test call-up

Aaqib Nabi is likely to earn a maiden Test call-up after playing a key role in Jammu & Kashmir’s historic Ranji Trophy triumph. With Harshit Rana and Akash Deep unavailable, the selectors are likely to include the swing bowler in the 15-member squad for the Afghanistan Test. It also remains to be seen whether Jasprit Bumrah will be rested for the fixture.