Aakash Chopra says India's 2027 ODI top six will remain unchanged
Aakash Chopra expects India's ODI top six for 2027 to mirror the 2023 runners-up lineup.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra said India's preferred top six for the 2027 ODI World Cup will remain Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya. He spoke on his YouTube channel after India won the ODI series against West Indies 2-1. Hardik missed the series with fitness issues.
Chopra backed Hardik at No. 6, saying he has never seen the all-rounder in poor form. He also said Ishan Kishan is the frontrunner to fill the backup batter and wicketkeeper role, ahead of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Kishan played the first two games of the 2023 ODI World Cup when Shubman Gill was unavailable.
India will play two men's senior international matches on the same day on October 3 for only the second time in history. The T20I side will contest the Asian Games medal match while the ODI side plays the West Indies in Mullanpur. India will then play 10 T20Is in 26 days, five against West Indies at home from October 6 and five in New Zealand from October 22.
CricHubb Take
India's selectors now have a public benchmark for the 2027 squad. If they deviate from this lineup, they will face immediate questions about whether form or fitness alone justify the change.