India lost to West Indies by five wickets at PCA International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on October 3. West Indies chased down 352 in 48.2 overs after India posted 351, with KL Rahul scoring an unbeaten 129 from 87 balls. The loss came despite India winning the first two ODIs by identical margins of eight wickets, but the final match exposed serious vulnerabilities in the bowling attack. Across the final two matches of the series, India conceded more than 750 runs, with West Indies posting 405 in the second ODI before successfully chasing down 351 in the third.
Hanuma Vihari expressed deep concern about India’s inability to defend a total above 350, a rare failure for Indian teams. Vihari believes that it is high time India should consider bringing Bhuvneshwar Kumar back into the setup, especially after his stunning performances this year in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“I think they have to bring Bhuvneshwar Kumar back. In my opinion, he is still one of the best bowlers in the country. He is proving in the IPL,” Vihari said on his YouTube channel.
The batter highlighted that defending 350 is a significant problem that requires urgent attention, particularly with key bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya absent from the ODI side. With just over a year remaining until the 2027 World Cup, India were searching for solutions to their bowling crisis.
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Not just Bhuvneshwar but Vihari also urged the Indian team management and the selectors to facilitate a comeback for Mohammed Shami. The Bengal seamer has been bowling well in domestic cricket since last season, but he hasn’t been in India’s squad since the 2025 Champions Trophy.
“We could not defend 350. Is this not a wake-up call? I think the team is going backwards. This is a big blow. You cannot depend on Bumrah and Hardik. You have to have backup in case of such injuries. I will say go with experience. Get Bhuvneshwar and Shami back,” Vihari said.
“Of course. I mean, I’ve said before as well that I’m not playing to prove anything right now. But it’s not like I don’t want to play for India. If I get a call, as simple as that,” he added.
