Bhuvneshwar's swing a threat to New Zealand, says captain Mitchell Santner ahead of T20 series

The five-match T20 series between India and New Zealand begins on Thursday. The Indian team will play the series against New Zealand from October 22, with Shreyas Iyer as captain. Ahead of the series, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has said which Indian player could prove dangerous for his side.

India have earlier played a T20 series against the West Indies, which ended level. The team is now ready to take on New Zealand.

The first match of the series will be played at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. It will start at 12:30 pm Indian time.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has also been picked in the Indian squad for this tour, getting a place in the team after a full four years.

Interestingly, Bhuvneshwar played his last T20 match four years ago in New Zealand itself. After that he was not included in the Indian team despite consistently good performances in domestic cricket and the IPL. Now, four years later, he is set to return to international cricket on the same New Zealand soil, in favourable conditions.

Santner said at a press conference, "I think 'Bhuvi' will certainly like these conditions in New Zealand. If the pitch offers help to the bowlers, Bhuvneshwar will be seen making full use of it. In India too, he manages to swing the ball both ways. So his bowling will be a big challenge for us."

Bhuvneshwar Kumar's numbers in New Zealand may not be impressive, but his overall career in T20 internationals has been very good. He has taken 90 wickets in 86 innings for India.

With this record, he is India's seventh-highest wicket-taker in T20 internationals. His career economy rate is 6.96. In this format he has also taken five wickets in an innings twice. His best figures in T20 internationals are five wickets for four runs.