Team India faces a busy ODI calendar in the second half of 2026 as it gears up for 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Between July and December, India is scheduled to play four ODI series, giving the team management ample opportunity to fine-tune its combinations ahead of the marquee tournament.

Over the next six months, India will feature in 14 ODI matches, providing a platform to assess emerging talent.

Players such as Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, and Prince Yadav made strong impressions during their debut appearances in the recent ODI series against Afghanistan. While experimentation is expected to continue, a core group of players already appears certain to be part of India's World Cup XI.

Eight Players Who Look Guaranteed Starters

Leading the list is captain Shubman Gill, who is expected to spearhead India's campaign at the 2027 World Cup. Veteran stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also remain strong contenders to retain their places, making the trio likely to form the backbone of India's top order.

At No. 4, Shreyas Iyer has cemented his position with consistent performances. He was India's leading run-scorer in the 2025 Champions Trophy, accumulating 243 runs during the tournament.

KL Rahul is expected to continue in the No. 5 role, where he has maintained an impressive ODI average of over 63. If fully fit, Hardik Pandya remains an automatic selection thanks to his value as a fast-bowling all-rounder and his ability to contribute in both departments.

Jasprit Bumrah remains pace spearhead

In the bowling attack, Jasprit Bumrah is set to remain India's pace spearhead. The final name among the likely certainties is Harshit Rana, who has earned significant backing from the team management and has emerged as a key part of India's long-term plans.

Players who will give tough competition 

The remaining three spots in the playing XI are still open to competition.

Several players, including Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, and Varun Chakravarthy, are expected to be in contention as India finalizes its squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup.