There is still more than a year left for the ICC ODI World Cup 2027, but the teams have intensified their preparations. After losing the ODI series against England, questions are being raised on the selection and strategy of Team India.
Meanwhile, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has selected his favorite 15-member team for the 2027 World Cup. Experienced fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been included in this squad, while Rishabh Pant has also got a place. Shastri has also taken some surprising decisions.
Captaincy handed over to Shubman Gill
Ravi Shastri has handed over the command of his team to Shubman Gill. Considering Gill as the future captain, he has described him as the most suitable option for the 2027 World Cup. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant have been included in batting along with Gill.
Surprised by the entry of Shami and Bhuvneshwar
The biggest discussion in Shastri’s team is about the return of experienced fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Both the bowlers are not part of the ODI setup and have been out for quite some time, but Shastri believes that experience is very important in big tournaments. In the fast bowling attack, he has given place to Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh. At the same time, the responsibility of spin department has been handed over to Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Akshar Patel.
Expressed confidence in these all-rounders
Ravi Shastri has considered Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel as important parts of the team. He believes that strong all-rounders are the biggest strength of any team in limited overs cricket and India has excellent options in this department.
10 players of 2019 world cup
Interestingly, Shastri’s selected 15-member team includes 10 players who were also part of the Indian team in the 2019 ODI World Cup. Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh are two players who have not played the ODI World Cup yet. In this team of Ravi Shastri, a mix of future stars along with experienced players is seen. However, there is still a lot of time left for the 2027 World Cup and during this time, the form, fitness and performance of the players will play an important role in team selection.
Ravi Shastri’s 15-member team
Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh.