7th October marks exactly one year since India’s first game in the 2027 Cricket World Cup. 365 days later, the Shubman Gill-led side will take the field at the scenic Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town against defending champions Australia in a repeat of the 2023 final.
While the countdown has officially begun to the mega event, India’s squad remains debatable.
Assuming the squad is picked today and everyone is fit, India face no questions over their batting unit, as skipper Gill, alongside the legendary duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, are arguably the strongest top three in the world. Meanwhile, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer and wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul’s record at number four and five is among the best in history.
Meanwhile, India will be praying Hardik Pandya can regain fitness and be able to play in the tournament, as a player of his skillset, quality, and temperament has no backup. Meanwhile, Axar Patel is also expected to make the squad as the team’s primary spin-bowling all-rounder.
Among the bowling unit, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the pace unit, while Mohammed Siraj should also make the squad. India has made a strong investment in Prasidh Krishna, which means he should make the squad, as the team management clearly wants a tall pacer in South African conditions. Similarly, Gill and Gambhir clearly are looking for a pacer who can bat at number eight, which makes Harshit Rana a near certainty.
Mohammed Shami remains a top performer in domestic cricket but has not played for India for nearly two years, which hints that he is not in the scheme of things at the moment.
As far as spinners are concerned, it will be a big surprise if the Men in Blue pick more than one specialist, which will undoubtedly be Kuldeep Yadav.
Among the three remaining slots, one will be for a back-up wicket-keeper, which Ishan Kishan is leading the race for. India will also want another reserve batter. However, with Kishan’s ability to open, it is unlikely that another reserve opener will be picked, which could mean Yashasvi Jaiswal’s misfortune continues.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has batted at number four in ODIs for India and can also open, which makes him a strong contender. Another potential pick could be Tilak Varma, who will give India the option of a left-hander in the middle-order, which they lack. The Indian T20I team vice-captain can also bat lower down the order and bowl off-spin. His versatility and all-round skill make him the ideal contender to occupy a spot in the squad.
Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar Reddy should also get the nod even if Hardik is fit, as India will want a backup pace-bowling all-rounder. Recently, head coach Gautam Gambhir hinted that both Hardik and Nitish could also play together.
India’s Likely 15 Man Squad For 2027 World Cup If Picked Today (All Players Fit): Shubman Gill (C), Shreyas Iyer (VC), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.