Yuvraj Urges India to Maintain Settled ODI Squad Ahead of 2027 World Cup

NEW DELHI, Sep 16 : Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has urged the team management to maintain consistency in ODI selection and provide a settled group of players with sufficient game time ahead of the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

India, who narrowly missed out on the title on home soil in 2023, will be aiming for their third ODI World Cup triumph in 2027. With the growing prominence of T20 cricket resulting in fewer 50-over matches, Yuvraj said the team cannot afford to make major changes close to the tournament.

The former all-rounder, who was named Player of the Tournament during India's 2011 World Cup-winning campaign, suggested that selectors identify a core group of 16 to 20 players and back them consistently over the coming year.

“They need to focus on building the same team to play in a year's time, because you don't want to make big changes at the last moment,” Yuvraj was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

“Whoever your players are, whether they are 16 or 20, it's important that everybody gets game time because obviously now there are more T20s and less 50-over cricket. Whatever matches there are, it's important that players get enough game time to prepare for the World Cup,” he added.

Yuvraj pointed to India's past setbacks at major tournaments, saying that significant changes made at the last moment can disrupt a team's campaign. He stressed the importance of backing selected players through both successful and difficult periods.

“Every time India has faltered is when they've made some massive changes at the last moment or in the tournament. So I think it's important that we stick to a team that we believe can lift the 2027 World Cup and stick by those guys whether they fail or succeed till that moment. Belief in the squad is very important,” he said.

Focus on building a settled squad

Yuvraj also referred to India's approach in recent T20 World Cups, where continuity and regular opportunities helped players develop together.

“That's something that we have also done in the last two T20 World Cups,” he said. “We also played the 50-over World Cup final [in 2023]. So we have had a lot of consistency in white-ball cricket.”

He added that India's immediate priority should be to build a squad capable of reaching the semi-finals before focusing on the final stages of the competition.

“Focus should be on getting a squad ready, which is together and ready to fight in any situation,” Yuvraj said.

Yuvraj also highlighted Australia's record in World Cups, pointing to the presence of multiple match-winners capable of changing the course of a game individually while also contributing collectively when the team is under pressure.

“That's the reason why Australia have been successful, because I believe that the Australian side, whenever they won World Cups, they've had a lot of match-winners who individually can pull off a game, and on a specific day, one does the job, and when they're all in trouble, they together pull it off,” he said.