Hardik Pandya is said to be a key player for India in preparation for the 2027 Men's ODI World Cup, Sourav Ganguly, former India captain, and his successor of Cricket Team India, and the fast bowler is already in form and available for this tournament. Ganguly feels Pandya can contribute with the bat and ball very well and in this event in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia is very important.
The 2027 ODI World Cup starts on 2 October and ends on 21 November. As the tournament is expected to be in a scenario where seam bowling could play an important role, Ganguly believes India will need a reliable sixth bowling option and Pandya will be one of the best candidates in this regard.
Ganguly said that keeping Pandya fit and match-ready will be one of the major challenges for head coach Gautam Gambhir and the Indian team management in the build-up to the tournament. Pandya has not been able to play as much cricket as the team would ideally wish in the months leading up to the World Cup, and being fit is what is key to that, he said.
Pandya has already participated in two ODI World Cups for India. He was part of the 2019 tournament as well as made the India squad for the 2023 edition. His 2023 campaign ended prematurely due to an ankle injury at India's match against Bangladesh in Pune.
Ganguly also discussed possible alternatives if Pandya is unavailable. Nitish Reddy was another name but the younger all-rounder needs to play regular cricket if the team is to consider him as a replacement or another alternative to Pandya. Ravindra Jadeja was also mentioned, since he has the ability to contribute with the bat at No. 7 and provide a bowling option.
The former India captain added that India’s top five batters do not provide regular bowling options. So having a seam-bowling all-rounder becomes very important. Ganguly says India needs to find the right player who will offer that extra bowling option with the 2027 World Cup coming in October in South Africa.
Ganguly's comments came after the ICC officially announced the schedule for the 2027 ODI World Cup. India will begin their campaign against Australia, setting up a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final. South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will play in this tournament.
The opening match against Australia is especially significant since the two teams have been involved in such World Cups. India and Australia had reached the final in Ahmedabad in 2023 and Australia won the title. Ganguly said he was pleased that India began the 2027 campaign against Australia rather than Pakistan.
He also mentioned India and South Africa as an upcoming date which he looks forward to. Ganguly said South Africa is a strong team and the depth of their current team. He also spoke to the huge fan support for cricket in the country and how he had experienced the SA20 tournament.
The 2027 World Cup, which is also South Africa's World Cup hosting the tournament, will be held next year with Zimbabwe and Namibia. Teams will have different challenges in the conditions for fast bowlers and all-rounders, who can play in different phases of a match so that fast bowlers and all-rounders can be effective in different situations.
India's World Cup schedule is also important for the Indian cricket team, Parthiv Patel, former wicketkeeper-batter, said. Patel, who was part of India's 2003 World Cup squad which finished runners-up in South Africa, said starting the tournament with difficult games would give India the chance to find combinations and prepare for the latter stages.
Patel thinks India’s core players will be prominent in the early games and the team will have to balance workload and fitness as the competition goes along. He added that a World Cup campaign needs to be managed with care as players’ fitness, form and workload can be critical in a long tournament.
But Patel also warned against taking any opposition lightly, whatever the schedule. He cited India's experience at the 2007 World Cup, when the team suffered a quick exit after losing to Bangladesh in the group stage.
With the 2027 World Cup still ahead, India have several decisions to make regarding their playing combination. Hardik Pandya's options, Nitish Reddy and the role of experienced all-rounders like Ravindra Jadeja will be among the areas the team management may need to assess.
For Ganguly, Pandya’s role is as important as ever in order to provide the balance he can provide. He is the right seam bowler and can also help in bolstering the middle order, and India is able to choose his XI.
With the tournament due to take place in South Africa and neighbouring countries, the perfect combination of depth in the batting and bowling options will be key to India’s preparation.
