With the 2027 ODI World Cup still some time away, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has advised the team management to avoid making long-term selection decisions too early. He believes India should focus on their current performances rather than making unnecessary changes to the playing XI or worrying about whether Mohammed Siraj will be part of the World Cup squad.
Sunil Gavaskar also made it clear that Siraj should not be included in the playing XI simply because of his importance to India’s future plans. If the current combination is performing well, the team should continue with it and take decisions about the World Cup closer to the tournament.
The discussion came after the third ODI between India and New Zealand in Hamilton was abandoned due to rain on Tuesday. India had decided to retain the same playing XI that featured in the first two matches of the series.
During a discussion on a sports channel, Sunil Gavaskar was asked about Mohammed Siraj’s absence from the third ODI and whether the fast bowler was part of India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Responding to the question, Gavaskar warned against looking too far into the future while important matches were still being played. He compared the situation to England’s approach to the Ashes series, where the team sometimes becomes so focused on an upcoming tour of Australia that it loses sight of the matches being played during its home summer.
Sunil Gavaskar pointed out that India had already won the T20I series against New Zealand and could carry further confidence into the upcoming Test matches by performing well in the ODI series. He also highlighted that there was still around a year to go before the next ODI World Cup in South Africa, making it too early to worry about the availability or selection of players like Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah.
He further explained that Siraj’s preparation for the upcoming Test series was an important consideration but the team management also wanted to avoid making unnecessary changes to an established combination.
Unlike several other regular Test players, Mohammed Siraj has been included in India’s squad for the final two ODIs against New Zealand. However, it is still unclear whether he will be released from the ODI squad early to prepare for the upcoming two-Test series against the Kiwis.
Siraj was recently in action for India A in the second unofficial Test against New Zealand A. He impressed with the ball, picking up four wickets in New Zealand A’s only innings.
With the Test series approaching, India’s team management will have to decide how best to manage Mohammed Siraj’s workload and preparation. For now, Sunil Gavaskar believes the team should concentrate on the matches ahead rather than making the 2027 World Cup the centre of every selection discussion.
What do you think of Sunil Gavaskar’s advice?
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