India’s Ideal Squad for ODI World Cup 2027: Ruturaj Gaikwad In, Yashasvi Jaiswal Out

India will have some important decisions to make before finalising their squad for the ODI World Cup 2027. The tournament will be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, so India will need a good mix of experienced players and young talent.

The World Cup is still more than a year away, but India’s recent ODI matches have given some idea about the players who could be part of the team.

Here is a look at India’s ideal 15-member squad for the ODI World Cup 2027.

Batters

Shubman Gill (c)

This will be Shubman Gill’s first ICC tournament as captain. After reaching the finals in the previous editions, India will look to go one step further and win the title. Gill averages 60.33 in ODIs and will be an important player at the top of the order. His form will be crucial for India. He will be one of the opening batters in the XI.

Rohit Sharma

There have been questions over Rohit Sharma’s place in India’s ODI squad ahead of the World Cup. However, his recent performances have shown that he can still make an impact in the format. He scored a century at Lord’s in the third ODI against England and showed why his experience could be important for India. In the previous World Cup, Rohit scored 597 runs at an average of 54.27 and a strike rate of 125.94.

Virat Kohli

Similarly to Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli’s experience will be very important for India in the ODI World Cup 2027. In the 2023 edition, he was the top scorer of the tournament as he scored 765 runs at an average of 95.62, including three centuries. In his last 10 innings, he is averaging 95 as he has scored 760 runs, including three centuries and five half-centuries. India’s top three will have to score the bulk of the runs, and a lot will depend on them.

Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer is expected to be India’s vice-captain for the ODI World Cup 2027. Like the top-order batters, he also had a brilliant 2023 edition, scoring 530 runs in 11 innings. The only challenge he may face is dealing with the extra bounce in South Africa. Apart from that, he should not have many problems.

KL Rahul (wk)

KL Rahul has cemented his place as the No. 5 batter in the lineup and is expected to bat at the same position in the ODI World Cup 2027. He will also be India’s first-choice wicketkeeper. In the previous edition, he scored 452 runs in 10 innings. Since the start of 2025, he has averaged 52.42 and has a strike rate of 107.94 in 11 innings. He has been playing a good role as a finisher in the middle-order.

Ishan Kishan (wk)

Ishan Kishan has had a brilliant 2026, and his form in domestic cricket helped him to make it into India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad. He has now also made his way into the ODI squad and featured in the recent series. He is expected to be part of the World Cup 2027 squad, but he may have to sit on the bench as a backup wicketkeeper for KL Rahul. He can also provide cover for the top-order.

Ruturaj Gaikwad

Even though it is not confirmed yet, Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to be part of India’s squad for the ODI World Cup 2027. Recently, he has been picked in the squad for the West Indies ODIs in Shreyas Iyer’s absence. He also featured against South Africa in 2025, where he scored a century. Just like Ishan Kishan, he can bat anywhere in the top four of the batting lineup.

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All-Rounders

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya’s fitness will be crucial for India. We saw how much the team missed him in the World Cup 2023 final against Australia after he was ruled out midway through the tournament. Having him in the team gives India both batting and pace bowling depth. With the World Cup 2027 being played in South Africa, where pacers get good help, Hardik could be very important. The management will also have to manage his workload carefully.

Nitish Kumar Reddy

India have found it difficult to find a player like Hardik Pandya who can bowl pace and also play the role of a finisher. However, Nitish Kumar Reddy looks to be making a place for himself in that role and has shown that he can also contribute with the ball. We saw his good performances in the IPL, and recently, he picked up six wickets in three T20Is against Afghanistan. He also bowled with the new ball. With three main pacers in the team, Hardik and Nitish can play as the fourth and fifth seamers.

Axar Patel

Axar Patel gives India another experienced all-round option. Even though he may not be a regular starter in the XI, he will still be an important player for the squad. He will be used according to the conditions as pitches in South Africa are pace friendly. With Kuldeep Yadav as the main spinner in the lineup, Axar may only play in those matches where there is help for spinners.

Bowlers

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah, India’s best pacer, will be leading the bowling attack in the ODI World Cup 2027. Like Hardik Pandya, his fitness will be very important, which is why the management is managing his workload carefully. He took 20 wickets in 11 matches in the previous edition of the ODI World Cup.

His ability to take wickets with the new ball and bowl well at the death makes him a very important player for India.

Arshdeep Singh

Arshdeep Singh gives India a left-arm pace option and can operate with both the new ball and at the death. He has done well for India in T20Is, but he is yet to make his mark in the ODIs.

With him and Jasprit Bumrah in the powerplay, India can really dominate the matches right from the start as both has the knack of picking wickets early in the innings.

Harshit Rana

Harshit Rana has emerged as an interesting pace option for India. He has already played 14 ODIs and has shown that he can contribute with both bat and ball. He has also been effective as a first-change bowler.

His abilitity with the bat gives India good depth. He will be keen to keep himself fit for the World Cup 2027, as he already missed the T20 World Cup 2026 due to injury.

Gurnoor Brar/Prasidh Krishna/Mohammed Siraj

The fourth pace-bowling spot could be a tough choice for the selectors. Gurnoor Brar has made a good start to his ODI career, taking 11 wickets in six matches, including three wickets on his debut against Afghanistan.

Prasidh Krishna has taken 13 wickets in seven ODIs this year, including a five-wicket haul against Afghanistan.

Mohammed Siraj is the most experienced option, with 76 wickets in 50 ODIs. He also took three wickets in the ODI series against New Zealand earlier this year.

All three will be in the race for the spot, and their performances in the matches before the World Cup could decide who makes the squad.

Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav remains India’s specialist wicket-taking spinner.

He was part of the ODI squad for the England series and is also included for West Indies ODIs. He is expected to be in the XI right from the start of the World Cup 2027. In the previous edition he took 15 wickets.

India’s ideal 15-member squad for ODI World Cup 2027

Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Gurnoor Brar/Prasidh Krishna/Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav.

One of the names that might miss out on India’s ODI World Cup 2027 squad is Yashasvi Jaiswal.

India’s possible XI for ODI World Cup 2027

Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.

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