After an unsuccessful performance, Sanju Samson returned with a bright game against Afghanistan, but his place in the team remains in question

The experienced fast bowler of the Indian team, Bumneshwar Kumar, openly discussed his long-term absence from international cricket. He had been out of the team for almost four years, having last played in a T20 International match against New Zealand in November 2022.

Kumar explained why he initially thought he could return to the Team India lineup soon, and how he gradually realized that this would not happen. He discussed his expectations of returning to the team in detail during a podcast with Jatin Sapru.

According to Kumar, after his visit to New Zealand, he was counting on a quick return to the Indian team. Team representatives called him, and based on that conversation, he believed they might bring him back within the next two series. However, this did not happen, and over time, he understood that his initial hopes were unfounded.

He noted that initially, he had high hopes of returning to Team India, but then he decided to let go of that expectation. Kumar stated that he had already overcome the period of constantly waiting for the next series.

Recalling his period of absence from Team India, Kumar admitted that accepting this reality was not easy. When it became clear that a return would not happen, he accepted the situation. His family played a very important role in providing support during this difficult time.

Bumneshwar Kumar also mentioned the 2022 T20 World Cup. India lost to England in the semi-finals, and the team exited the tournament. He recounted that this happened in Adelaide. Upon returning to his room, he told his wife, Nupur, that it was his last World Cup. He explained this by saying that, based on his experience, he saw that after losing in such a tournament, selectors tend to look forward, and that is correct.

Despite Kumar giving up hope of returning to Team India, his desire to play for India remains. He emphasized that he plays not to prove anything to anyone, but if he is given another chance to play for India, he would be happy about it.

Discussions about Kumar's possible return to Team India reignited after his impressive performances in the IPL. In the 2025 season, he took 17 wickets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. In the 2026 season, he surpassed this figure, taking 28 wickets. After two outstanding seasons, fans and sports experts began demanding his inclusion in the Indian T20 team, and Kumar himself agreed that he felt worthy of a spot in the squad.

Experiments in the starting line-up of the Indian team are ongoing. The return of Sandhu Samson for the upcoming series against Afghanistan has reignited discussions about potential opening combinations. The question arises whether the coaching staff can test a previously unseen pairing—Sandhu Samson and Vaibhav Suryavanshi.

Following the T20 World Cup victory, the Indian team utilized various combinations to start matches. Vaibhav Suryavanshi earned a spot in the main squad after an impressive performance in the IPL and played alongside Abhishek Sharma. Furthermore, Sandhu Samson had already started innings with Abhishek. Thus, the pairs Abhishek-Vaibhav and Abhishek-Sandhu have already been tested.

With Sandhu's return to the team, a third option has emerged—Sandhu-Vaibhav. Notably, these two have never started a game together for India before. Consequently, this experiment could be an interesting choice for the Indian team in the series against Afghanistan.

Former Indian wicketkeeper Dip Dasgupta also pointed to this possibility. He believes that since the Abhishek-Vaibhav and Abhishek-Sandhu options have already been considered, there is nothing wrong with trying Sandhu and Vaibhav together.

Dasgupta stated on his YouTube channel: 'We haven't seen the Sandhu-Vaibhav combination yet. So far, we have seen Abhishek-Vaibhav and Abhishek-Sandhu. It is not a bad idea to see what combination Sandhu and Vaibhav can form.'

This combination will be particularly interesting because both batsmen possess an aggressive playing style, yet there is a significant difference in experience between them. On one hand, Sandhu Samson has established himself in international cricket, while on the other, Vaibhav Suryavanshi made the Indian team at the young age of 15.

The combination of Sandhu's experience and Vaibhav's fearless style could give India a highly aggressive pair to start matches in the powerplay. However, the coaching staff will face the question of what role to assign to such an explosive batsman as Abhishek Sharma in the squad.

For this reason, the series against Afghanistan will be a subject of discussion not only because of Sandhu's return but also regarding whom India will choose to partner with Vaibhav—Abhishek, Sandhu, or a completely new combination.

Currently, it is only clear that after the Abhishek-Vaibhav and Abhishek-Sandhu pairs, the Sandhu-Vaibhav pair represents an option that the Indian team has not yet tested. This new experiment might be seen in the matches against Afghanistan.