India has already started preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup, but Yuvraj Singh believes the biggest challenge may not be finding new players. Instead, India may need to trust the players they already believe can perform on the biggest stage.
The former India allrounder has pointed to one lesson from India’s past World Cup campaigns that could help the team in the next few years.
Yuvraj Singh wants India to build their 2027 World Cup squad early
Yuvraj Singh wants India to identify their main group of players well before the 2027 ODI World Cup. He also wants the team to give those players enough chances to understand their roles.
India now plays fewer 50-over matches than T20 games. Because of this, every ODI becomes important for players who want to make the World Cup squad.
Yuvraj believes India should avoid making big changes close to the tournament. He wants the team to spend enough time playing together.
“They need to focus on building the same team to play in a year’s time, because you don’t want to make big changes at the last moment,” Yuvraj told Cricinfo.
Yuvraj does not want India to simply pick a group of players and then keep them on the bench. He wants the possible World Cup players to get regular chances.
This can help them understand their roles and become comfortable with different match situations.
Yuvraj also said India must make good use of the limited ODI cricket before the World Cup. Regular chances can become very important for players during this period.
“Whoever your players are, whether they are 16 or 20, it’s important that everybody gets game time because obviously now there’s more T20s and less 50-over cricket.”
This approach can help India avoid taking players to the World Cup who have talent but very little recent ODI experience.
Yuvraj warns India against making big changes
Yuvraj’s main concern is not experimentation. He understands that teams need to try different players. His concern is making massive changes too close to a World Cup.
India have had strong white-ball teams in recent years. But Yuvraj believes stability becomes even more important as a major tournament gets closer.
He pointed to India’s changes during previous World Cup cycles and said the team should learn from those experiences.
“Every time India have faltered is when they’ve made some massive changes at the last moment or in the tournament.”
A tournament like the 2027 Cricket World Cup can put a lot of pressure on players. Too many changes can also make roles unclear.
Players need enough matches to understand what the team expects from them.
Yuvraj wants the selectors and team management to trust the players they choose as their main group.
“So I think it’s important that we stick to a team that we believe can lift the 2027 World Cup and stick by those guys whether they fail or succeed till that moment.”
His message is simple. India should give their main players enough time to grow together instead of changing the team every time they face a setback.
India needs match-winners, not just more allrounders
India have started valuing allrounders because they can contribute with bat and ball. However, Yuvraj believes India should not pick players only for their versatility. He wants match-winners who can change games, whether they are batters, bowlers or allrounders, while building combinations around each team’s strengths.
“Every country has a different set of players. Some teams have more allrounders, some teams have more specific batters and bowlers,” he said.
Yuvraj wants India to identify their strongest players first and then adjust the team based on conditions, especially in South Africa, where pace and bounce matter.
Yuvraj wants India to trust their top match-winners
Yuvraj Singh believes India’s main group should include players who can win matches on their own.
The final team can still change from one match to another. India may need an extra spinner, fast bowler or allrounder depending on the conditions.
“You have to go with the best combination. The best combination will always be 12, 13, 14 players and [pick the 15th] according to conditions.”
Yuvraj then explained that India’s first-choice players should be genuine match-winners. He wants players who can deliver when the team needs them most.
“Whether you want to play an extra spinner, fast bowler or allrounder, you’ve got to go with the best. You’ve got to go with your top 11 match-winners who you feel can win the game.”
Yuvraj also pointed towards Australia. He believes Australia have often benefited from having several players who can take responsibility in pressure situations.
Yuvraj Singh points to India’s T20 World Cup success
India’s recent T20 World Cup success is another example Yuvraj believes the ODI team can learn from.
India won the 2024 T20 World Cup and then became the first team to win back-to-back men’s T20 World Cups in 2026.
Yuvraj Singh believes the consistency behind those wins can give India a useful plan for the ODI team.
India also reached the 2023 ODI World Cup final, showing that the team has already enjoyed strong results in white-ball cricket.
“That’s something that we have also done in the last two T20 World Cups,” Yuvraj said.
He wants India to take the same approach into the next ODI cycle instead of making too many changes.
“We also played the 50-over World Cup final [in 2023]. So we have had a lot of consistency in white-ball cricket.”
For India, the main task now is to build a settled group. The team can then prepare those players for different situations before the World Cup.
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Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya add to India’s selection questions
India’s road to the 2027 ODI World Cup will begin with a three-match home series against West Indies from September 27.
The selectors have several important decisions to make. These include Rohit Sharma’s international future and India’s options for the fast-bowling allrounder role.
Hardik Pandya remains an important name in that discussion. He can contribute with both bat and ball and has plenty of international experience.
However, his injury history means India may need to manage his workload carefully if he remains part of the long-term ODI plans.
South African conditions could also make India’s pace options very important. The team will need to find the right balance between specialist bowlers and all-rounders.
ALSO READ: Jos Buttler Overtakes Rohit Sharma: Where Does He Now Stand Among T20I Greats?
Yuvraj Singh also backs Canada Super 60
Yuvraj has also taken on a new role as the brand ambassador of Canada Super 60, a professional T10 tournament. The second edition will feature six men’s teams and three women’s teams at BC Place in Vancouver from September 29 to October 4. Yuvraj believes the tournament can help cricket grow in Canada.
“Canada Super 60 is something I feel is very exciting. It’s a shorter format where it’s faster than T20,” Yuvraj said.
Yuvraj also highlighted the chance for the Punjabi community and young Canadian players to watch high-level cricket at home. Former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan co-owns the Vancouver Anchors. For India, Yuvraj’s main message remains simple: build the World Cup squad early, give players enough matches, and trust them.
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