Daijiworld Media Network - Dharamsala
Dharamsala, Jun 13: India will begin their preparations for the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup with a three-match series against Afghanistan in Dharamsala, where much of the focus will be on veteran opener Rohit Sharma as he seeks to cement his place in the team's long-term plans.
With Virat Kohli ruled out due to injury, Rohit returns to the ODI side after recovering from a hamstring problem that limited his appearances during IPL 2026. The 39-year-old, who will be 41 by the time the next ODI World Cup is played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, enters the series under scrutiny as selectors continue to evaluate the future composition of the squad.
India bowling coach Morne Morkel confirmed that Rohit is fully fit and eager to return to action.
“It is always nice to have his experience back. Just the calmness he brings to the dressing room is always a positive. He's training well, he's moving well and he's excited to play,” Morkel said.
The series will also provide India with an opportunity to assess several players in the absence of Kohli and injured fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has been added to the squad and is among the contenders for the No. 3 position along with KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan. Kishan is expected to bat at No. 3 and keep wickets in the opening match.
India have also included young pacers Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar, with one of them likely to make an ODI debut alongside Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna.
All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is expected to shoulder greater responsibility with Hardik Pandya unavailable through injury. Morkel said the youngster had worked extensively on improving his bowling and would now have the chance to showcase his progress at the international level.
India's spin department will feature Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar and Harsh Dubey as the team continues to build combinations for the World Cup.
Despite India's dominance in the recent one-off Test, Afghanistan are expected to pose a significantly tougher challenge in the 50-over format. The visitors boast an experienced spin attack led by Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Allah Ghazanfar, while promising batter Sediqullah Atal adds further strength to the batting line-up.
The HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala is expected to offer good pace and bounce, while weather forecasts indicate the possibility of light rain. Conditions could assist both batters and bowlers, making the toss an important factor in the opening encounter.
Led by captain Shubman Gill, India will view the series as the first major step towards shaping their squad and combinations for the 2027 World Cup, while Afghanistan will be keen to demonstrate their growing strength in white-ball cricket.