Tiwary and Mohit Sharma Pick Their India XIs for the 2027 ODI World Cup

With the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 in South Africa just over a year away, former India internationals Manoj Tiwary and Mohit Sharma have weighed in on what they believe the Men in Blue's ideal playing XI should look like. The two ex-cricketers revealed their selections as India continue to build momentum in the 50-over format, most recently with a comprehensive 170-run victory over Afghanistan in the second ODI at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday, June 17.

The exercise comes at an interesting moment for Indian cricket, with the national side having played only five ODIs this year and still clearly in an exploratory phase ahead of the tournament. Much like fans who follow niche sporting markets - from bandy betting sites to mainstream cricket platforms - these early selections are less about certainty and more about informed speculation based on current form and squad depth. Both former players largely converged on the same core group, though notable differences in their bowling combinations reflect genuine debate about what will work on South African pitches.

Tiwary and Mohit Sharma agreed on several key names: Shubman Gill as captain, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the top order, Ishan Kishan as the wicketkeeper in the middle order, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya as the all-rounder, Harshit Rana as a pace option, and Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh completing the attack. Notably, neither selector found room for Axar Patel, and both omitted Mohammed Siraj - a decision that signals a shift in thinking about India's pace unit for the conditions they are likely to encounter in South Africa.

Where the Two Selections Diverge

The clearest point of difference lies in the spin department. Manoj Tiwary opted for Kuldeep Yadav as his sole spinner, making a specific tactical argument: South African surfaces reward wrist spin far more than finger spin, which is why a conventional off-spinner does not feature. Mohit Sharma, on the other hand, went with Ravindra Jadeja as his spin option - a choice that leans on Jadeja's all-round value with bat and in the field, even if his left-arm orthodox style is not classically suited to seaming tracks.

Tiwary was also candid about the conditionality around Hardik Pandya's selection. "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," he said. It is a pragmatic caveat, given Pandya's well-documented injury history. Mohit Sharma left open the option between Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal as his second opener, acknowledging that the competition for that slot remains genuinely unresolved at this stage.

The Bigger Picture: Building Towards South Africa

India's ODI calendar between now and late 2027 is packed with opportunities to settle on combinations. After the series finale against Afghanistan, the squad travels to England in July - a tour that will provide valuable data on how players perform in conditions with movement off the pitch. A home series against West Indies follows, before India face New Zealand in a five-match away series later in the year. New Zealand's conditions, like South Africa's, tend to offer bowlers assistance, making those games particularly useful as preparation benchmarks.

The integration of younger faces into the setup means the picture will continue to evolve. Players like Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy are still proving themselves at this level, and the selectors will be watching performance data closely over the next 18 months. The final XI - whoever picks it - will look different from any projection made today. What these selections do confirm is the broad consensus forming around Shubman Gill's captaincy, India's pace-heavy approach for overseas conditions, and the enduring centrality of Rohit Sharma, Kohli, and Bumrah to any serious World Cup plan.