No Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson: R Ashwin names India squad for 2027 ODI World Cup, suggests surprise inclusion

No Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson: R Ashwin names India squad for 2027 ODI World Cup, suggests surprise inclusion originally appeared on Cricket News.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• R Ashwin picks 2027 World Cup squad, drops Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson.
• Surprise inclusion: Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar despite his absence since 2022.
• Several players, including Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja, were placed in the uncertain ‘maybe’ category.

R Ashwin picks his India squad for 2027 World Cup, snubs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has stirred up plenty of debate by unveiling his own version of India’s squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup, one that excludes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and senior wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson.

Ashwin built his squad around experienced campaigners Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, alongside a batting and wicketkeeping unit featuring Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, and Shubman Gill, whom he backed to continue leading the side. Among the all-rounders, he went with Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya to add balance to the middle order.

For the bowling department, Ashwin’s first choice as lead spinner was Kuldeep Yadav, while his pace battery consisted of Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah.

However, Ashwin also placed a fairly long list of players in a ‘maybe’ bracket, admitting he wasn’t fully convinced either way about their World Cup chances. That group included Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna.

MORE: What India need to do to qualify for the WTC Final

BCCI/Creimas

Who were the notable omissions?

On the flip side, several players didn’t make Ashwin’s cut at all. Some of these exclusions followed predictable lines, with Samson, Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Shivam Dube, Prince Yadav, and Gurnoor Brar all left out of his 15.

The two omissions that really stood out, however, were Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar.

Wait till the end for an interesting suggestion by R Ashwin 👀 pic.twitter.com/zd8z2ePGYe

— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) July 30, 2026

Why does Ashwin want Bhuvneshwar Kumar back in the fold?

Ashwin argued that India would benefit from his experience heading into a tournament as big as the World Cup.

He suggested the board reach out to the pacer directly, encouraging him to play across all available formats, including first-class cricket and the Vijay Hazare Trophy, to build his fitness and rhythm ahead of the tour to South Africa, where he felt Bhuvneshwar’s know-how could prove valuable.

“Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a yes. I would communicate to him. Get him to play all the tournaments, first-class, Vijay Hazare, everything, and get him prime going to South Africa. I think we will need him there,” he said.

Bhuvneshwar hasn’t featured in an ODI for India since 2022. But he’s stayed relevant through impressive IPL performances, as he has played a central role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s back-to-back title wins.

Across those two seasons, he picked up 45 wickets in 30 matches at an average of 21.87 and an economy rate of 8.56. In his ODI career overall, he has featured in 121 matches, taking 141 wickets at an average of 35.11 and an economy of 5.08, with a career-best haul of 5 for 42.

Selected (Yes)On the Fence (Maybe)Left Out (No)Virat KohliYashasvi JaiswalSanju SamsonRohit SharmaRuturaj GaikwadVaibhav SooryavanshiShreyas IyerVarun ChakaravarthyAbhishek SharmaKL RahulRavindra JadejaRavi BishnoiIshan KishanNitish Kumar ReddyShivam DubeShubman Gill (Captain)Mohammad ShamiPrince YadavAxar PatelArshdeep SinghGurnoor BrarHardik PandyaPrasidh KrishnaRishabh PantKuldeep YadavWashington SundarHarshit RanaMohammed SirajJasprit BumrahBhuvneshwar Kumar

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BCCI/Creimas

A bold call, but is it the right one?

Ashwin’s squad makes for an interesting thought exercise, though some picks feel like they’re built more on nostalgia than current form. Leaving out Sooryavanshi makes sense given his inconsistent recent returns.

However, is Bhuvneshwar Kumar really indispensable for India? His IPL numbers with RCB are genuinely impressive, but ODI cricket at the international level is a different beast, and it’s been three years since he last featured in the format for India.

Backing a 36-year-old to be primed for a World Cup 16 months down the line is a big ask, no matter how sharp he currently looks in franchise cricket.

That said, Ashwin’s willingness to back inexperienced faces like Harshit Rana while keeping seasoned campaigners like Kohli and Rohit in the mix shows a genuine attempt to balance youth with experience. Whether the actual selectors agree with this blend remains to be seen, but it’s certainly given fans plenty to argue about ahead of what promises to be a fiercely contested race for World Cup spots.

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