Rohit Sharma Not Alone! Indian Players On Make Or Break For 2027 World Cup In England ODIs

IND vs ENG ODIs is make-or-break for Rohit [Source: AFP]

After suffering a humiliating 4-0 defeat in the T20I leg, India are preparing to face England in a three-match ODI series. The opening encounter of the highly anticipated series will be played at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on July 14. 

India's ODI squad includes several players, such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul, who weren't part of the T20I series. The three-match ODI leg is the first major assignment for India, as they kickstart their preparations for the 2027 World Cup edition. 

The England ODIs will help head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill prepare the blueprint, while also hinting at India's core group for the World Cup next year. In such a scenario, several players are in a do-or-die situation, as failure in this series could jeopardise their chances of representing the Men in Blue in the showpiece event. 

3 players who must perform in IND Vs ENG ODIs to remain in 2027 World Cup plans

1. Rohit Sharma

Former captain Rohit Sharma, who led India to the title in the 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2023 World Cup final, would be keen to showcase his mettle and retain his spot in the ODI scheme of things. 

Rohit exhibited solid batting form in the home series against Afghanistan, scoring 143 runs in three innings at an average of 47.67 and a strike rate of 115.32. Although he looked in sublime touch, the away series against England will be a litmus test for Rohit Sharma, who is at the twilight of his career.

The ODI series against England will allow the Indian team management to assess Rohit's batting prowess against the moving ball. 

Given the fact that the World Cup will be played in South Africa, Rohit's game in England's seam-friendly conditions will pretty much sum up his readiness to take up the opening position in the showpiece event. 

Besides his performance, Rohit Sharma will have to convince the BCCI selectors with his fitness, having sustained a lengthy hamstring injury in the IPL 2026. 

Thus, despite being a legend of the game, Rohit is living on a knife-edge, and his failure in either of the two areas could result in the 39-year-old's ouster from India's 2027 World Cup squad. 

Also Read: Harshit Rana's Replacement In India ODI Squad Vs England Announced

2. Washington Sundar

Right-arm off-spinner Washington Sundar has received a lot of flak for his recent T20I performances. Although Sundar has had a few notable outings under his belt in Test cricket, he has yet to prove his credentials as an allrounder in the white-ball formats. 

Statistically, Washington Sundar has played 32 ODIs, managing 391 runs at a miserable average of 20.6 and a strike rate of 83. He hasn't been exceptional with the ball either, scalping 30 wickets at a strike rate of 37. 

(Washington Sundar in ODIs since 2023)

More importantly, the team management has tried to fit him in different batting positions, but that experiment hasn't yielded the desired results. 

He doesn't give confidence as a reliable anchor and finisher, and as he's not a genuine wicket-taker with the ball, Sundar currently finds himself on the brink of exclusion from the ODI setup. 

These modest numbers highlight his mediocrity as a white-ball player for the Indian team. Although the injuries to Hardik Pandya, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy could open the door for his inclusion in the Indian playing XI, Washington Sundar is desperately searching for some breakthrough performances to justify his selection as Ravindra Jadeja's backup for the 2027 World Cup. 

Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav has had a tough time as an Indian cricketer recently. While his T20I and Test careers have been jeopardised, Kuldeep's potential as a strike bowler has also been called into question due to middling returns of late. 

As evidenced by the data presented in the above table, Kuldeep's bowling average has gone up from 26.01 to 33.73, while he has taken nine balls more to pick a wicket in ODIs since 2024. Additionally, considering the Indian team management evidently prioritises batting depth till 8, Kuldeep is under pressure to make every opportunity count as a potent weapon in the middle overs. 

Therefore, the ODI series against England could be a do-or-die assignment for the veteran spinner, as India could sideline him from their 2027 World Cup plans if he fails to deliver the goods. 

Also Read: PBKS' Shashank Singh Breaks Down After Latest Scandal