Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli [Source: AFP]India’s preparations for the ODI World Cup 2027 are beginning to take shape well before the tournament itself comes into view. The BCCI is looking at adding another important assignment to the team’s calendar, with the objective extending beyond simply filling another bilateral window. A new proposed ODI series is set to give the Indian side an opportunity to test its combinations, assess player workloads that could become crucial during the World Cup. BCCI eye India vs South Africa series before World Cup 2027The BCCI is in discussions with Cricket South Africa (CSA) to squeeze in a four-to-six-match ODI series ahead of the World Cup 2027, with the proposed assignment potentially becoming one of the most significant pieces of India’s preparation for the tournament.The idea has emerged after a request from the Indian team management, which wants the side to have greater exposure to South African conditions before returning to the nation for the global event. That gap is particularly relevant considering South Africa will be among the co-hosts of the 2027 World Cup. Rather than relying solely on practice matches once the tournament begins, India could benefit from arriving with recent experience of playing competitive ODIs in those conditions.When is the India vs South Africa ODI series likely to take place?The proposed series is also notable because of its timing. The BCCI is looking to place it immediately before the World Cup, allowing the players to transition directly from bilateral cricket into the tournament environment. A four-to-six-match window would provide considerably more substance than a conventional short warm-up assignment. It could give the management enough matches to settle the batting order, determine the preferred bowling combination and identify players who can handle the demands of South African conditions.The fact that the new FTP has not yet been drawn up could work in the board’s favour. Instead of having to displace an already fixed bilateral commitment, the proposed series can potentially be incorporated while the calendar is still being structured.Also Read- Axar Patel Not Alone! Indian T20 Players On Thin Ice vs AfghanistanWorkload management and scheduling are not a concern for BCCIAt first glance, adding another four-to-six-match ODI series to an already crowded calendar may appear counterproductive. India’s players are heading into an extremely demanding period, with multiple ODI assignments, T20I commitments, Test cricket and another IPL season competing for space on the calendar.However, the BCCI’s thinking appears to be less about adding cricket and more about controlling how the cricket is distributed. The team has already experienced the consequences of injuries and fitness concerns disrupting plans, and the proposed South Africa series can become part of a broader workload strategy.Beginning in September, India are scheduled for three ODIs at home against the West Indies, followed by five ODIs in New Zealand and three each against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at home early next year. Those assignments are interspersed with T20Is against Afghanistan, West Indies, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. There are also two major Test challenges, including the New Zealand series and the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy, before the next IPL.What should India think of the posible South Africa series?Hence, BCCI’s objective should not be to make the same group of 11 players appear in every series. India have enough depth to operate different combinations across formats, and the coming months could be used to create a larger pool of ODI-ready players rather than repeatedly exhausting the first-choice group.The BCCI and team management are already expected to focus heavily on fitness monitoring. A large number of players have also undergone fitness testing at the Centre of Excellence, including Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, with regular monitoring expected to continue.This makes the proposed South Africa series particularly interesting. It could become the final examination for India’s ODI combinations with injury-prone players, but there is little reason for it to be treated as another tournament where every first-choice player must play every match.Also Read- Dubai Stadium Pitch Report, Weather Report For India Women vs Hong Kong Women- Asia Cup 2026
