Ajinkya Rahane Makes Bold Call As He Picks India's Pace Attack For 2027 World Cup

Kaushik Kashyap

Ajinkya Rahane picks 5 India bowlers for 2027 World Cup. [Source - AFP]

Ajinkya Rahane has named five fast bowlers he wants India to take to the 2027 ODI World Cup. His picks include Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj and Mayank Yadav.

With the next ODI World Cup scheduled to take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, India will need a strong pace attack to compete for the title.

Bumrah, Siraj To Lead Rahane’s Pace Attack For India In 2027 World Cup

Ajinkya Rahane named Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj among his five choices during a discussion on Sony Sports Network. Bumrah’s control at the death and Siraj’s ability to strike with the new ball make them key options for India.

Arshdeep Singh offers a left-arm option, while Prasidh Krishna brings extra bounce and height. Both could give India variety in conditions where pace and bounce may play an important role during the 2027 World Cup in southern Africa.

Mayank Yadav is perhaps the most eye-catching pick, despite yet to make his ODI debut. Rahane’s backing suggests the express pacer could be in contention if he stays fit and gains more experience before the 2027 World Cup.

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Ajinkya Rahane Ignores Mohammed Shami In India’s Pace Attack For 2027 World Cup

Mohammed Shami is a notable omission from Ajinkya Rahane’s five picks for India’s 2027 World Cup pace attack. The veteran pacer has taken 55 wickets at an average of 13.52 in ODI World Cups.

Shami has already been overlooked by the selectors, and Rahane has now left him out of his preferred five as well. Given his outstanding World Cup record, his absence is arguably a major miss for India.

Harshit Rana And Other Pacers Left Out By Rahane Remain In Contention

Harshit Rana and several other pacers are also in contention for India’s 2027 World Cup squad, but Rahane left them out of his five picks. Rana has been part of India’s ODI plans and has delivered consistent performances.

Since January 2025, Rana has been India’s highest wicket-taking pacer in ODIs, claiming 26 wickets at an average of 27.38. With a year remaining before the 2027 World Cup, he and other overlooked pacers have time to strengthen their cases for selection.