Former India batter Robin Uthappa has picked his 15-member India squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The tournament will be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia . Uthappa has called his team a ‘bomb squad’ and believes India can have a strong World Cup campaign if these players play together for the next year.
Why does Uthappa want India to build the team now?
India still have around a year before the 2027 ODI World Cup, but Uthappa feels the team should start preparing now.
India last won the ODI World Cup in 2011. In the 2023 World Cup, India reached the final but lost to Australia. Uthappa believes giving the same group of players regular chances for the next 12 months could help India build a strong team.
Who are Uthappa’s three openers?
Uthappa has picked Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as his three opening options.
Rohit brings a lot of experience, while Gill is already one of India’s main batters. The biggest surprise is 15-year-old Sooryavanshi, who has been picked despite not yet making his ODI debut for India.
Who will handle the middle order?
Uthappa has picked Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Sanju Samson for the middle order.
Rahul can also keep wickets, while Samson has been picked as a backup wicketkeeper. Uthappa also sees Samson as a player who can finish matches and play different roles for the team. ‘This is my World Cup team for 2027 in South Africa. Granted, we have a year to go, but I think if these 15 play over the next one year, it will be perfect prep. And this, I feel, is a bomb squad,’ Uthappa said.
Which all-rounders and spinners are in the team?
The all-rounder and spin options include Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. This gives India a mix of batting, pace and spin. Hardik can also give the team an extra fast-bowling option, while Axar and Jadeja can add runs with the bat.
Why has Bhuvneshwar Kumar been picked?
The biggest surprise in Uthappa’s team is Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The experienced fast bowler has not played an ODI for India since January 2022. Still, Uthappa has included him alongside Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh.
Bhuvneshwar’s experience and ability to swing the ball could give India another option in the pace attack.
What is Robin Uthappa’s 2027 World Cup squad?
Uthappa’s 15-member team includes Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh.
The squad has several experienced players, along with young names like Sooryavanshi. Uthappa believes giving this group enough time together could help India prepare well for the 2027 World Cup.