Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a veteran India pacer, made his India comeback after four years away from international cricket. He was first included in the India XI for the fifth and final T20I between India and the West Indies in Bengaluru, but the game was washed out due to rain.

He bowled his first ball in international cricket since 2022, when India played New Zealand in the first T20I of the five-game series in Christchurch on October 22. It was a tough comeback for Bhuvneshwar, as he went for 49 runs in his 4 overs and failed to take a wicket.

Ahead of the second T20I of the series, also being played in Christchurch, Bhuvneshwar Kumar explained the reason behind him choosing number 78 for his jersey. Kumar used to wear number 15 on his jersey earlier, but since the number was taken by some other player, he tried several numbers before finally choosing No. 78, which also adds up to six.

“There was a logic behind choosing the jersey number. The digits added up to six because one plus five is six (his last jersey number). We tried quite a few numbers, but most of them were already taken by other players, so this was the only number left. I think that’s why I chose it (New Jersey, 78),” Bhuvneshwar told BCCI.tv.

The veteran pacer admitted that it took him some time to get accustomed to wearing his new jersey.

“I was used to seeing the number 15 alongside my name as B. Kumar, so it didn’t immediately feel like my jersey. It took me a while to get used to the fact that this was my jersey and that I was going to wear it,” he added.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has had a storied career for India since making his debut in 2013. He has picked 63 wickets in 21 Tests, 141 wickets in 121 ODIs, and 90 wickets in 89 T20Is before the second T20I between India and New Zealand.