He last represented India in the ODIs during the 2023 World Cup at home.
While much of the focus has been on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s 2027 ODI World Cup prospects, India all-rounder Shardul Thakur has now expressed his desire to make a comeback to the national side and feature in the next marquee event in South Africa. Although Thakur is currently not in contention for India’s ODI squad, the Mumbai player spoke about reclaiming the No.8 spot, a crucial position in terms of balancing the lineup in both batting and bowling.
Shardul Thakur, who can tonk the ball, threw his hat in the ring on Tuesday by claiming that he is vying for the No. 8 spot, which will be up for grabs as India has already started their 2027 ODI World Cup preps, scheduled to be held in South Africa, which has historically favoured seamers.
Speaking after Mumbai vs Chhattisgarh Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Round 2 clash, captain Shardul Thakur said, “It’s important for me to keep performing and eventually return to the Indian team. Good performances will help me in the selection. The ODI World Cup is also in South Africa, so there might be a place open for a bowling all-rounder at No. 8. I am eyeing that spot.”
With the 2027 ODI World Cup set to be held on pace-friendly conditions in South Africa, the India team management has begun to explore fast-bowling all-rounder options.
In the recent series against Australia, the Men in Blue fielded the likes of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana in that role. Reddy did a great job in the rain-affected series opener in Perth, smashing 19 off 11 balls, featuring two sixes, striking at 172.73, but could manage only eight runs in the next game before being ruled out of the final ODI due to injury.
Rana, on the other hand, managed one run in the first ODI but made a vital contribution in the second ODI, scoring 24 off 18 balls with three fours. With the ball, he finished as the leading wicket-taker of the series with six wickets in three games. However, with the ODI World Cup 2027 still two years away, a lot can change by then, depending on various factors.
Shardul Thakur is focused on the task at hand as he stated, “I am ready to play international cricket. My preparation is such that if tomorrow I am asked to play international cricket, I am ready for that.”
The Mumbaikar last represented India in the 50-over format during the 2023 World Cup at home. Since then, he has been overlooked in the white-ball format. He recently made his way back into the national side during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 in England, but didn’t bowl much. He was further ignored for the home series against the West Indies, with India preferring Reddy.
In the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025, the all-rounder’s scores read 0, 9, and 29, and he has managed to take just three wickets across two rounds. But with still a couple of rounds to be played before the BCCI is expected to announce a squad for the South Africa series, the 34-year-old has a chance to push his case with strong performances, particularly with Hardik Pandya remaining unavailable due to the injury he sustained before the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan.
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