Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns after 3 years and 340 days, but rain denies him a moment

Bengaluru: It was meant to be a special Saturday, a series decider at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which was hosting international cricket after a two-year hiatus. Instead, rain had the final say, turning a high-octane contest into a nine-over shootout before bringing the curtain down on the game and the series.The weather may have won, but not before India’s batters gave the holiday crowd 48 minutes of explosive entertainment, smashing seven sixes and eight fours. With the series locked at 2-2, the rain-hit finale was an anticlimax in a contest where batters had repeatedly dominated and bowlers struggled to keep pace.India captain Shreyas Iyer rued the missed opportunities. “(The series) result could have been different if we had bowled well in the second and fourth games. Our batting was sensational but we fell short in the execution,” he said.After a wait of two hours and 15 minutes, the truncated contest finally got under way, with Ishan Kishan (30; 10b; 3x4; 2x6) leading India’s charge. With the match reduced to nine overs a side, West Indies skipper Shai Hope had little hesitation in opting to field after winning the toss. With just 54 deliveries to make an impression, the Indian batters had no time for caution; the brief was to attack from the outset.Even as a light drizzle threatened to bring the covers back on, India’s batters went after the big shots. The rain returned when the hosts were 118/5 in 7.4 overs, bringing the contest to an abrupt end.Abhishek Sharma kick-started the six-hitting spree with a crisp flick off Keemo Paul that sailed over deep midwicket. He tried to repeat the stroke off the next delivery, only for Shamar Joseph to pluck the ball at midwicket.Ishan needed little time to switch into attack mode. He flicked Romario Shepherd over fine leg for six before finding the gap through midwicket for four. The next delivery brought up the 100th six of the series, as Ishan swept the ball over fine leg and onto the roof, forcing the umpires to call for a replacement ball.Shamar brought the assault to an end by taking pace off the delivery. Ishan failed to connect and holed out to Rovman Powell at mid-on. Skipper Shreyas Iyer chipped in with a 14-ball 22, while Naman Dhir was just warming up with a blistering 24 off six balls when the rain returned.Bhuvi back where it all beganIndia made two changes to the XI, bringing in Shivam Dube and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was ruled out due to illness, and Mayank Yadav.For the 36-year-old Bhuvneshwar, the night marked a return to familiar territory. He made his T20I debut at the same venue against Pakistan in December 2012 and returned to Indian colours after a gap of three years and 340 days, during which India played 106 T20Is.The rain, however, denied him a chance to make his return count.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.