Ravindra Jadeja and Gautam Gambhir (Source: AFP)
India may still have more than a year before the ODI World Cup 2027, but the team management has already started planning for the marquee event.
According to the latest reports, head coach Gautam Gambhir and the selectors have picked their preferred spin-bowling all-rounder for the tournament.
A report suggests that Axar Patel has moved ahead of veteran Ravindra Jadeja in India’s ODI plans, with the management focusing on building a balanced squad for the conditions in South Africa for the World Cup 2027.
Axar Patel Emerges As India's First-Choice Spin All-Rounder For 2027 World Cup
It is important to note that India's plans for the ODI World Cup 2027 remain firmly around Axar Patel.
According to a report in The Times of India, the selectors are not keen on bringing Ravindra Jadeja back as the first-choice spin-bowling all-rounder in the 50-over format.
Talking about Kuldeep Yadav, the star player offers limited batting, so the team management under Gautam Gambhir wants a spinner who can comfortably bat in the top seven.
According to the same report, the think tank is preparing Harsh Dubey as Axar Patel's replacement for the marquee tournament.
"Jadeja’s bowling in white-ball cricket hasn’t been up to the mark for some time. He played in the ICC Champions Trophy in March 2025 because India expected turning pitches in Dubai. His power-hitting too isn’t at the level it was during the 2019 World Cup," a BCCI source told TOI.
"The team management will largely need one lead spinner in the XI in South Africa. If Washington Sundar plays, it will be a bonus. That’s why Axar’s form is so critical. Harsh Dubey is being groomed as his backup," the source added.
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Why 2027 World Cup Will Be Important For Axar Patel?
It is worth noting that Axar Patel has not played in an ODI World Cup for India. He was originally selected for the ODI World Cup 2023 squad, but missed the tournament due to injury and was replaced by R Ashwin.
Prior to that, he was also part of the 15-member squad for the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. However, if selected for the upcoming 2027 ODI World Cup and included in India’s playing XI, this will be the first time he represents the country in the an ODI World Cup.
Why India Moved On From Ravindra Jadeja For 2027 World Cup?
If these reports are to be believed, India has moved on from Ravindra Jadeja for the 2027 World Cup. One of the major reasons is the ongoing form of Jadeja, who last played in the ODI format during the New Zealand tour of India in 2026.
In that series, Jadeja made just 43 runs in 3 innings at an average of 14.33 and a strike rate of 66.15. With the ball, he failed to make a contribution and went wicketless.
Even in IPL 2026, Ravindra Jadeja failed to make any valuable impact and scored 265 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 134.52. With the ball, he bagged 10 wickets in 12 innings at an economy rate of 8.39.
Another factor that management must have considered would be his age (37 years) along with his recent fitness and injury concerns.
So, the fact cannot be denied that it seems Ravindra Jadeja's India career is almost over, with the team looking for more options ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
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