Team India has been one of the strongest sides in white-ball cricket at present. The Men in Blue hold the T20 World Cup 2026 and the ICC Champions Trophy presently. The only trophy missing from their cabinet is the ODI World Cup. They were close in 2023 after winning 10 games in the tournament and lost in the final against Australia.
Now, under Gautam Gambhir, the team will be preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. For the first time since 2003, the ODI World Cup returns to Africa. The last time the tournament was played here, India and Australia faced each other in the final, with the Aussies yet again having the upper hand.
BCCI to keep a watch on selected players in IPL
As per reports from PTI, ahead of the ODI World Cup next year, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have already shortlisted the possible 20 cricketers that might be selected in the team for next year’s major event. The board is going to track the players’ progress during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.
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Though the ODI World Cup is far away, a BCCI source told PTI that the selectors of BCCI do have a tentative list of players, and the selection panel members are expected to be present at some matches during the course of the IPL 2026. The IPL is set to begin from March 28, with reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
ODI World Cup players in sight during the IPL
The BCCI source stated that the selection panel members, comprising SS Das, RP Singh, Ajay Ratra, and Pragyan Ojha, will be visiting the stadium and will also track the IPL matches on television.
“The BCCI is looking at each selector watching at least one game per week which covers five games per week from the venue. Else obviously they can track on TV,” the official said.
The report also stated that it is unlikely that the selectors will have the LA Olympics or the T20 World Cup 2028 in mind as they watch the players throughout the IPL season. They are also not anticipated to pick a breakout star during the World Cup next year, as they are already determined on the players that they might pick next year.
India to play the full side against Afghanistan
The source also said that they will keep an eye on the four fast bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshdeep Singh, along with all-rounder Hardik Pandya. As Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the IPL due to a knee surgery and will take time, they will decide on his future later.
India will field a full-strength squad against Afghanistan in the one-off Test, despite no World Test Championship points being awarded. “The India Test cap isn’t for experimentation. For that, you have India A shadow tours. As of now, in Tests, Bumrah, Siraj, and Prasidh are the top three bowlers on the selectors’ radar,” the BCCI source said.
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