After the recent 1-2 series loss at home against New Zealand, India will have their next ODI assignment six months later as the focus now shifts to T20Is, with the T20 World Cup 2026 lined up in February.
The next ODI series for India is slated to be a three-match contest in June when Afghanistan visits. However, the schedule for the same is yet to be released. The Afghanistan series will be followed by a tour to England where the Men in Blue will feature in another three-match ODI series. The games will be extremely crucial for India to figure out their combinations in the roadmap for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Keeping in mind both the Afghanistan and the England series, let’s take a look at some of the changes we can see in the India ODI squad when they play again in the format after a long break.
Rohit Sharma entered the year as the No.1 ODI batter but could not repeat his heroics against the Blackcaps. With 61 runs at an average of 20.33, Rohit’s future will be under the spotlight as India prepares for the 2027 ODI World Cup next. Also with Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting on the flanks, India might want to try him out alongside Shubman Gill at the top with a goal for the ICC event, which also caters to management’s preference for a LHB-RHB opening pair.
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While the selectors have maintained that veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is part of the India ODI squad plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup, his recent performances might force them to think otherwise. Jadeja had an extremely subpar campaign against the Kiwis and his ODI numbers of late hasn’t been promising either. He has taken just 1 wicket in last five ODIs, with his last fifty in the format coming back in 2020 and his last ODI half-century on home soil happening back in 2013. His fielding abilities also seem to have taken a hit, as evidenced from his recent missed runout opportunities against NZ, which were unthinkable in his prime.
On the other hand, Axar Patel has delivered across formats and stepped up whenever called upon, be it with the bat or the ball. The left-hander last featured in India ODI squad during the Australia series last October and fulfilled his duties impeccably, scoring 75 runs from two innings at an average of 37.50 and chipping in with three crucial wickets at an impressive economy rate of 4.45.
Premium all-rounder Hardik Pandya is a big name that is likely to make a comeback to the India ODI squad, either in the Afghanistan series or against England. He recently did not get clearance for the NZ ODIs to bowl all 10 overs and had to sit out. Having last featured during India’s Champions Trophy 2025 win, Hardik Pandya’s return to 50-overs will be crucial for India’s ambitions to forget the horrors of 2023 and go the distance in the 2027 ODI World Cup.
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