R Ashwin handpicks India's ODI World Cup 2027 squad, includes Bhuvneshwar Kumar; predicts Rohit-Kohli's fate

Legendary Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently unveiled his personal squad predictions for the 2027 ODI World Cup in Southern Africa, heavily leaning on experience while making a few eyebrow-raising omissions. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s YouTube channel, Ashwin voiced strong support for veteran stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to headline the batting order, alongside current captain Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Ishan Kishan. To balance the lineup, he picked Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel to handle all-round duties.

R Ashwin’s bold 2027 World Cup squad revealed

The real talk of the discussion, however, centered on Ashwin's bold selections and surprise snubs. While he backed veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a return—citing his proven track record in South African conditions—he surprisingly left out both Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar. Instead, Ashwin favored Kuldeep Yadav as his primary spin option, rounding out the bowling attack with a pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Harshit Rana.

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Bhuvneshwar Kumar makes the cut in Ashwin's pick

Ashwin’s nod for Bhuvneshwar Kumar stems from the veteran quick's recent reinvention and proven pedigree on South African turf, where he previously claimed a five-wicket haul (5/24) and has taken 19 international scalps at an average of 35.26. The 36-year-old paceman, who played a key role in back-to-back IPL titles for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has successfully expanded his repertoire. Beyond his trademark swing, Kumar added pinpoint yorkers and sharp pace variations to his arsenal, turning in a dominant display throughout IPL 2026.

Despite not featuring for India since a T20I against New Zealand in November 2022, Kumar boasts an extensive international track record with 294 total wickets across 229 matches—including 141 ODI victims at an average of 35.11. That depth of experience, combined with his upgraded skill set, makes a compelling case for his inclusion in Ashwin's World Cup plans.

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Ashwin took a firm stance on several veterans for his prospective World Cup squad, but he left the door open regarding a long list of notable names. Key figures like Mohammed Shami, whose spot alongside Sanju Samson appears increasingly doubtful for 2027—remain on the fence in Ashwin's assessment, joining players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, and Nitish Kumar Reddy in the "undecided" category.

At the same time, the former off-spinner drew a clear line by omitting a sizable group of prominent performers from his primary setup. High-profile names including Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, and Abhishek Sharma were notably excluded, alongside emerging talents like Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar, as Ashwin prioritised a more experienced core for the tournament.