BCCI Advised To Include Bhuvneshwar Kumar In India 2027 ODI World Cup Squad

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes experienced fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar still has an important role to play in India's ODI setup. Ashwin has urged the team management to prepare the veteran pacer for the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup, saying his skills could be a major advantage on South African pitches.

Bhuvneshwar has not played an ODI for India since January 2022 and has been away from List A cricket for nearly three years. Despite his long absence, Ashwin feels the 36-year-old has the experience and ability to succeed in conditions that usually favour fast bowlers.

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The 2027 ICC ODI World Cup will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has already announced the 12 host cities for the tournament, which will feature 54 matches. Johannesburg, Centurion, Durban, Gqeberha, KuGompo City, Cape Town, Paarl, Bloemfontein, Harare, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls and Windhoek have all been selected as venues.

Since most of the matches will be played in South Africa, pace bowlers are expected to play a key role. Ashwin believes Bhuvneshwar's ability to swing the new ball and his experience in international cricket make him a strong option for India's World Cup plans.

Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, Ashwin said the selectors should keep Bhuvneshwar in the picture and help him return to his best by giving him regular domestic cricket.

"He is definitely a yes. I would speak to him and make sure he plays all the first-class tournaments, including the Vijay Hazare Trophy. If he reaches peak fitness before the South Africa World Cup, I think India will need him," Ashwin said.

Ashwin also named several players he believes should be part of India's core squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup. His list included Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj. However, he did not see Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube as likely options for the tournament.

Bhuvneshwar made an unforgettable start to his ODI career in 2012 when he dismissed a Pakistan batter with the very first ball he bowled. Since then, he has represented India in 121 ODIs and picked up 141 wickets at an average of 35.11.

Even though he is currently out of India's ODI squad, Bhuvneshwar continues to impress in the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket. He recently represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and played an important role in the team's successful IPL title-winning campaign earlier this year.