Overview
- Former India opener Abhinav Mukund named a 15-player squad in a media appearance, presenting Shubman Gill as captain and keeping Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer in the top order.
- Mukund’s list restores Hardik Pandya to a World Cup role and selects five specialist quicks led by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to build pace depth for expected fast, bouncy pitches.
- The proposal omits notable young players such as Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma, reflecting Mukund’s stated preference for experienced, pressure-tested performers over emerging talent.
- This selection is Mukund’s personal, media-led pick and not an official Board of Control for Cricket in India announcement, so final choices will depend on selectors and player form over the next year.
- Shubman Gill’s recent run of form has pushed him close to the top of the ICC ODI batting rankings, which sharpens debates about leadership, batting order and how India should balance experience and youth before the 2027 tournament.