Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has strongly criticized the BCCI selection committee for recalling 36-year-old veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, calling the decision a "big mistake".

Bhuvneshwar returned to the T20I setup after a four-year absence but endured a difficult tour, picking up only 1 wicket while conceding 180 runs across 4 matches.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan argued that bringing Bhuvneshwar back makes little sense when the next T20 World Cup is still far away. He noted that a recall would have only been logical if the selectors were preparing him for the upcoming 2027 ODI World Cup, which is much closer.

By prioritizing Bhuvneshwar, Pathan felt the team missed a vital window to give high-exposure overs on New Zealand soil to emerging pacers like Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav.

"In my opinion, where did the selectors go wrong? They made a mistake by playing Bhuvneshwar Kumar in this series. Look, there is no doubt that Bhuvneshwar is a good bowler and a senior player. However, playing him here, when the T20 World Cup is nowhere near, was questionable. If you were preparing Bhuvneshwar for the 50-over World Cup, which is closer, that would have made sense," Pathan said.

"By including him in this series, however, you missed out on giving young fast bowlers an opportunity. A youngster could have played in his place and gained valuable experience. Mayank [Yadav] could have played all the matches and gained that exposure, while Prince Yadav could have played too. You missed a valuable opportunity for your fast bowlers to gain good experience on New Zealand soil," he added.

Irfan Pathan clarified that his criticism was not directed at Bhuvneshwar Kumar's bowling abilities, highlighting that the latter actually bowled well in his opening overs before conceding runs late in the New Zealand, which shouldn't define his overall class.

"I'm not saying this because Bhuvneshwar didn't perform well. That's not the case. Although he was a bit unlucky-he bowled well in his first two overs, but later, when he bowled the final over of the powerplay, he conceded runs. These things happen to any player. There is no question about his skill," he remarked.

For Irfan, it was an ideal series to invest in young fast-bowling prospects like Mayank, Prince, and others.

"The question is definitely about the timing. Would this have been a better opportunity for a young fast bowler? I believe it would have been. You have to understand that if you want to develop fast bowlers, it is very important to give them opportunities and let them play on true pitches, where the margin for error is very low," he explained.

India clinched a 3-2 T20I series victory on New Zealand soil. The Men in Blue displayed clinical form to establish an unassailable lead across the initial three matches before dropping the final two games in Auckland and Hamilton.