Should India go back to Mohammed Shami & Bhuvneshwar Kumar in ODIs for World Cup 2027?
Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar offer a load of experience bowling at the highest level.
It’s been 15 years since India won the last cricket ODI World Cup. MS Dhoni led India to their second ODI World Cup in 2011, beating Sri Lanka in the final. Since then, they have been struggling to lift the trophy.
Though India came very close to winning it in 2023 at home. Rohit Sharma and co. were undefeated until the final, but when it mattered, the game went against them, and they ended up as runners-up.
Though India won the T20 World Cup in 2024 and 2026 and the Champions Trophy in 2025 after that, the wait to lift the ODI World Cup trophy is getting longer. The next Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be played in 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, respectively.
India have been a little inconsistent in the ODI setup in the last year or so. Under captain Shubman Gill, India have lost three of four ODI series. India have lacked in the pace department and are trying several fast bowlers.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will be the first-choice pacers if they are fit. But India would need 2-3 good options to do well in South Africa. Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Prince Yadav, and Mayank Yadav are some options but they haven’t been consistent.
Should India bring back Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027
The Indian pace unit will have a massive role in the Cricket World Cup 2027. Team India have used several new faces in the last year or so, but not many have been consistent. That is where India can go for an outside option to bring back veteran stars like Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
These two bowlers are not in India’s plan at the moment. Both bowlers come with loads of experience and have won many games on their own. Though the age is not in their favour, we have seen how Australia have worked with the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, who are also of the same age as Shami and Bhuvneshwar.
Speaking of the experience, Shami is India’s leading wicket-taker in ODI World Cup history with some exceptional stats. He has taken 55 wickets in just 18 innings with four fifers and four four-wicket hauls.
Overall, Shami has taken 206 wickets in 108 ODIs and is the second-fastest ever to reach 200 ODI wickets. Bhuvneshar Kumar has taken 141 wickets in 121 ODIs at an economy rate of 5.08. Shami is known for his consistent line and length and can be skiddy at times.
Bhuvneshar is known for his consistent swing with the new ball. He has also shown good signs in the IPL and at the domestic level. In fact, both bowlers are active at the domestic level and doing a pretty good job.
With their presence in the squad, India can also manage the pressure and workload of Bumrah. However, the current management isn’t interested in bringing them back. But with the current ODI pace attack struggling without Bumrah, India might need their two most experienced pacers.
When did Mohammed Shami play his last ODI?
Mohammed Shami played his last ODI in March 2025 in the final of the Champions Trophy 2025.
When did Bhuvneshwar Kumar play his last ODI?
Bhuvneshwar played his last ODI in January 2022.
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Karan Rawat is a seasoned cricket writer with a deep passion for the game and over 5 years of experience covering everything that the game can offer. He loves to share the analysis, match reports, and player profiles and tries to bring stories to life with a unique blend of statistics and storytelling. Whether breaking down Test match tactics or capturing the drama of a T20 thriller, Karan's work connects fans with the soul of the sport.