New Delhi, July 21: Former India batter Abhinav Mukund has unveiled his preferred 15-member Indian squad for the 2027 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup, opting for a combination of seasoned campaigners and promising youngsters while excluding several high-profile players.
The squad retains experienced batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli alongside captain Shubman Gill at the top of the order.
Mukund has also backed Shreyas Iyer to strengthen the middle order and selected KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan as the wicketkeeping options.
In the all-rounders’ category, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar have been included, while Kuldeep Yadav has been named as the specialist spinner.
Mukund’s pace attack features Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna and emerging fast bowler Gurnoor Brar, reflecting a blend of experience and youth.
The former cricketer’s selections have drawn attention for the absence of veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and senior fast bowler Mohammed Shami.
Young batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi also missed out despite his recent rise in international cricket.
Mukund said Yashasvi Jaiswal remains a strong contender but viewed him as a reserve opening batter rather than an automatic member of the main squad.
He also suggested that players such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube and Arshdeep Singh are in contention and could strengthen their claims through consistent performances before the World Cup.
The 2027 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
With more than a year remaining before the tournament, player form, fitness and performances in upcoming international matches are expected to play a decisive role in shaping India’s final squad.
Mukund’s list represents his personal assessment of India’s World Cup prospects and is independent of the official selection process, which will be carried out by the national selectors closer to the tournament.
