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India Begins World Cup Climb: Key Players Missing, Selection Dilemmas Loom
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Firstpost•26-09-2026, 17:01
India Begins World Cup Climb: Key Players Missing, Selection Dilemmas Loom
- •India's cricket team starts its World Cup journey in Thiruvananthapuram, facing an arduous path to the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.
- •Critical players Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah are absent from the initial squad, raising concerns about their fitness and availability for the tournament.
- •Hardik Pandya's body continues to struggle with injuries, and his return to full fitness remains uncertain, impacting India's all-rounder options.
- •Jasprit Bumrah is on Asian Games duty, but questions persist about his knee's ability to withstand the rigors of full-tilt ODI bowling.
- •Head Coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill face tough decisions regarding veteran Rohit Sharma's ODI future versus integrating young talent like Yashasvi Jaiswal, who needs more game time.
Key Questions Answered
Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah are missing from the squad for the three ODIs against the West Indies.
Starting with the series against the West Indies, India has 14 ODIs on its calendar to prepare for the World Cup campaign.
Management faces a decision between retaining veteran Rohit Sharma, who will be 40 when the tournament begins, or giving crucial exposure to 24-year-old left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal.
