Team India will officially begin preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup with a three-match home series against Afghanistan, slated to begin to June 13 in Dharamsala.
Speaking to TOI, a BCCI source indicated that head coach Gautam Gambhir has not been as deeply involved in ODI planning as he has been with Tests and T20Is.
With the 50-over World Cup now a priority, Gambhir is expected to take a more active role in the buildup, especially managing the futures of batting stalwarts such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom retired from Tests and T20Is during the 2024-25 season but want to remain central to the ODI setup.
However, there are concerns over the lack of communication regarding exactly how they fit into the 17-month blueprint.
Both Kohli and Rohit dominated ODI cricket last year, winning the Player-of-the-Series awards against South Africa and Australia, and finishing as India’s leading and second highest run-scorer respectively.
While Rohit has received media clearance to feature in the Afghanistan ODIs, Kohli has been ruled out of the series due to a hamstring injury sustained in the IPL 2026 final on May 31.
Hardik Pandya, another senior figure in India's ODI scheme of things, is reportedly set to miss the series owing to a low-grade quadricep sprain.
As preparations for the quadrennial event intensify, India's team management and senior players are reportedly seeking better alignment, which has led some veterans to approach influential figures within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to seek clarity on the roadmap leading into 2027.
With the growing need to bridge the gap between team management and senior cricketers, captain Shubman Gill has been urged to assert a stronger voice in the dressing room.
"With such big players in the team, Gill needs to have a stronger say in the dressing room. Gambhir hasn't got involved in the planning as intently as he has done in the other two formats. So far, he has let things take its course," the BCCI source said.
"Now that the focus has shifted on the preparation for the ODI World Cup, one may expect Gambhir and Gill to take charge and firmly communicate their ideas in the dressing room. It's important that the senior players, who have served India with distinction for so many years, are conveyed what role the team expects them to play and the plan for the buildup over the next 16 months," the source added.
(With TOI Inputs)
