Abhinav Mukund predicts India squad for ODI World Cup 2027; no place for Yashasvi Jaiswal

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The 2027 ICC ODI World Cup is expected to be one of the toughest editions in the tournament’s history, with several heavyweight nations capable of going all the way. India, runners-up in the 2023 World Cup after losing to Australia in the final, will once again enter the competition as one of the favourites. With Shubman Gill emerging as India’s long-term captain, fans are hopeful that the young leader can guide the Men in Blue to their first 50-over World Cup title since 2011. As discussions around India’s ideal combination continue to gather pace, former cricketers have begun revealing their preferred squads for the global event.

Joining the conversation, former India opener Abhinav Mukund shared his predicted 15-member India squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup during a discussion on Cricinfo. Much like former India head coach Ravi Shastri, Mukund opted for a blend of experienced stars and emerging talent, while placing his faith in Gill to lead the side.

Mukund retained veteran stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in his squad, highlighting the value of experience in high-pressure ICC tournaments. Despite both players being in the latter stages of their careers, the former opener believes their ability to deliver on the biggest occasions could prove invaluable in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The batting unit also includes Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, providing India with depth and flexibility in the middle order. Hardik Pandya has been picked as the premier pace-bowling all-rounder, while Axar Patel and Washington Sundar strengthen the spin-bowling all-round department.

Mukund’s bowling attack is spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, with Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna offering additional pace options. Wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav remains the specialist spinner, while left-arm seamer Gurnoor Brar earns a place as another promising fast-bowling option.

Also READ: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar feature in Ravi Shastri’s India squad for ODI World Cup 2027

One of the biggest surprises in Mukund’s selection is the omission of Yashasvi Jaiswal. The left-handed opener has established himself as one of India’s brightest young batting talents across formats and is widely viewed as a future all-format star. Given his aggressive approach at the top of the order and consistent performances in recent years, many expected Jaiswal to be an automatic pick for the 2027 World Cup squad. However, Mukund opted for the experienced Rohit alongside Gill as his opening combination, leaving Jaiswal out of his preferred 15-member squad—a decision that is likely to spark plenty of debate among fans and experts alike.

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Gurnoor Brar.

Also READ: Mohit Sharma predicts India’s playing XI for ODI World Cup 2027; Kuldeep Yadav misses out