Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has suggested that the selection of reserves for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup will likely involve a competition between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Chopra made the comments while appearing on the JioHotstar program Follow the Blues ahead of India’s upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies.
Chopra noted that both Jaiswal and Gaikwad have performed well when given opportunities in the national team. He indicated that the upcoming series serves as a platform for players to secure their positions as the tournament approaches.
Regarding the team’s wicketkeeping options, Chopra addressed the exclusion of Rishabh Pant from the ODI squad. While acknowledging Pant’s continued importance in the Test format, where he has been named captain of the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup, Chopra stated that the selection committee appears to have moved on from Pant in white-ball cricket. Dhruv Jurel has been selected as a backup wicketkeeper for the West Indies series following a strong performance during the Test tour of Sri Lanka.
Chopra also discussed the return of Ravindra Jadeja to the ODI side. He emphasized that with competition from Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, Jadeja must perform consistently to secure a spot in the World Cup squad. Additionally, Chopra highlighted the inclusion of Nitish Kumar Reddy, noting that the team is seeking a player capable of both bowling pace and contributing with the bat to provide depth in the absence of Hardik Pandya.
The Indian squad for the West Indies series includes Shubman Gill as captain, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Naman Dhir.
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