India will enter the 2027 ODI World Cup with the aim of adding another major ICC trophy to their collection. The tournament, scheduled to be played in October across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibiawill give India another opportunity to claim their third ODI World Cup title after narrowly missing out in 2023. With the tournament still a year away, discussions around team combination and selection have already started, and former India star Yuvraj Singh has stressed the importance of consistency.
Yuvraj Singh urges India to stick with a settled squad
Yuvraj believes India should avoid making frequent changes to their ODI setup ahead of the World Cup. Speaking to Cricinfothe former all-rounder suggested that the team should identify a group of around 16 to 20 players and give them consistent opportunities before the tournament.
According to Yuvraj, India have a limited number of ODIs available before the 2027 World Cup, making regular game time particularly important for the players who are expected to form the core of the squad.
“They need to focus on building the same team to play in a year’s time, because you don’t want to make big changes at the last moment,” Yuvraj said.
He also highlighted the changing international cricket landscape, with more T20 matches being played and fewer opportunities in the 50-over format. As a result, he feels India must make the most of every ODI they play before the World Cup.
Game time crucial with fewer ODIs available
Yuvraj further explained that simply selecting a group of players will not be enough. The players within that group must also receive sufficient opportunities to gain experience and prepare for the demands of a World Cup.
“Whoever your players are, whether they are 16 or 20, it’s important that everybody gets game time because obviously now there are more T20S and less 50-over cricket. Whatever matches there are, it’s important that players get enough game time to prepare for the World Cup,” he added.
The former India all-rounder’s comments underline the importance of using the upcoming ODI fixtures to establish roles and combinations rather than constantly experimenting with the squad.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s future adds another selection question
India’s planning for the 2027 tournament also comes with uncertainty surrounding two of their most experienced ODI players, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Both have retired from the other international formats, leaving questions over whether they will continue playing ODIs and feature in the World Cup.
Amid those uncertainties, Yuvraj believes India should place faith in the players they ultimately identify as their core group. He pointed to previous instances where India made significant changes close to major tournaments as a reason to prioritize stability. He added that India should back the players they believe can win the 2027 World Cup, regardless of whether they experience failures along the way.
“Every time India has faltered is when they’ve made some massive changes at the last moment or in the tournament. So I think it’s important that we stick to a team that we believe can lift the 2027 World Cup and stick by those guys whether they fail or succeed till that moment. Belief in the squad is very important,” Yuvraj added further.
