Bhuvneshwar Kumar call-up: BCCI’s dated Arshdeep shoulder update

On 16 October 2026, the BCCI said its Men’s Selection Committee had added Bhuvneshwar Kumar to India’s squad for the fifth T20I against West Indies. The advisory followed the board’s account that Arshdeep Singh had sustained a blow to his bowling shoulder during the fourth T20I in Hyderabad on Wednesday, 14 October. [1] [2]

The notice left Arshdeep’s position open rather than announcing a diagnosis or a confirmed absence. The BCCI said a decision on his participation would be taken before the final T20I, based on his recovery, while contemporaneous ICC and ESPNcricinfo reports described the issue as an availability concern and recorded Bhuvneshwar’s addition. [1] [2] [3]

The fifth T20I was scheduled for 17 October at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, and the published updated squad listed both Arshdeep and Bhuvneshwar. That makes “squad cover” the supported description of the change: the advisory did not say Bhuvneshwar replaced Arshdeep, and it did not confirm a playing XI or either bowler’s selection. [1] [2]

For readers, the useful distinction is between the confirmed administrative update and the unresolved match-day decision. This was a dated 16 October squad and availability notice, not a current fitness report; the relevant checkpoint in the advisory was the official pre-match decision on Arshdeep’s participation. The available sources therefore support the squad addition and the uncertainty, but not a later diagnosis, fitness outcome or replacement claim. [1]