Former cricketers Mohit Sharma and Manoj Tiwary have revealed their preferred India playing XI for the ICC ODI World Cup 2027. As discussions around India’s ideal combination continue to grow, both former players backed several young talents while leaving out a few established names from their selections.
India, led by Shubman Gill, delivered a strong performance against Afghanistan in the ongoing ODI series. In the second ODI at the Ekana Stadium, Lucknow, on June 17, the hosts secured a 170-run victory. They will play the third and final ODI at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on June 20.
Manoj Tiwary Names India’s Playing XI for ODI World Cup 2027
Manoj Tiwary shared his team combination for South Africa’s challenging conditions. The former India batter picked a wrist spinner instead of a finger spinner. He also suggested a backup option in the seam-bowling all-rounder’s role if fitness becomes an issue.
“Hardik Pandya is in the side for me, but subject to fitness. If he is not there, then Nitish Kumar Reddy will come in his place. Also, I have kept Kuldeep Yadav because you need a wrist spinner. We don’t need a finger spinner on the South African pitches.”
Manoj Tiwary excluded spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel and strengthened the middle order by selecting Ishan Kishan as the wicketkeeper. He also included Harshit Rana in the pace attack while excluding fast bowler Mohammed Siraj from the starting lineup.
Virat Kohli ✅
Does Rohit Sharma walk into India’s World Cup XI❓@tiwarymanoj & @imohitsharma18 make their picks 📺#INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/kA85wkqi64
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) June 20, 2026
Mohit Sharma Names India’s Playing XI for ODI World Cup 2027
Mohit Sharma picked a similar core group but added more flexibility at the top of the order. He backed Yashasvi Jaiswal as backup for Rohit Sharma. He retained Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, and KL Rahul in the middle order.
Unlike Manoj Tiwary, Mohit selected Ravindra Jadeja as his only spinner and excluded Kuldeep Yadav. He picked pace attack featuring Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh.
Both former cricketers agreed on some major omissions. They left out Axar Patel and Mohammed Siraj, while backing Harshit Rana to add pace and variety on South African pitches.
India have played only five ODIs this year, and several young players remain under assessment as the management continues to test different combinations.
The team has more than 20 ODIs scheduled over the next year to finalize its best squad. After the ongoing home series against Afghanistan, India will tour England in July to test players in challenging overseas conditions.
Following the England tour, India will host the West Indies in a limited-overs series at home. The preparation will end later in the year with a crucial five-match ODI series in New Zealand, which will help the team assess its bench strength.
Manoj Tiwary’s Team India Playing XI for ODI World Cup 2027:
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (WK), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya*, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah
Mohit Sharma’s Team India Playing XI for ODI World Cup 2027:
Rohit Sharma/Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh
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Author: Sai Vaitla
