Former BCCI chief selector Kris Srikkanth has strongly defended Ravindra Jadeja against critics who believe his best days are behind him, and backed the veteran all-rounder to feature in India’s 2027 ODI World Cup squad.
The 37-year-old has failed to claim a wicket in three ODIs this year, while producing scores of 4, 27 and 12. With age not on his side and other left-arm spin-bowling all-rounders like Axar Patel and Harsh Dubey in contention, Jadeja’s selection for the next year’s World Cup is not a certainty.
For India’s ongoing three-match ODI series against Afghanistan at home, Jadeja has been sidelined from the squad. However, Srikkanth argued that Jadeja’s immense experience, world-class fielding, and past accolades mean writing him off is foolish.
"Jadeja cannot be written off yet as he's a brilliant cricketer. Nitish Kumar Reddy is a developing all-rounder. So once Hardik Pandya is back, it'll be only one of himself and Nitish. The other all-rounder must be Jadeja. But Jadeja also must start performing. Yet, even though he's not at his peak, it'll be foolish to write him off," Srikkanth said while speaking on his YouTube channel.
Srikkanth also threw his weight behind former skipper Rohit Sharma for the 2027 ODI World Cup, dismissing any age-related concerns.
While Rohit’s ODI form has been excellent even after retiring from the other two formats, the senior opening batter will be 40 years old by the time quadrennial event starts in South Africa.
"Rohit's inclusion will depend on his form. If he keeps scoring runs, then what's the problem? He has been scoring in the recent ODIs. He looks very fit and is timing the ball well. So you can't jump the gun one way or the other. The next few months will be a trial-and-error period. By January or March next year, we should fix a list of 20 players for the 2027 World Cup," Srikkanth remarked.
Rohit, who missed a few IPL 2026 matches due to a hamstring injury, is currently featuring in the Indian versus Afghanistan ODI series. He was run out for run-a-ball 16 in the opening game in Dharamsala on Saturday (June 13).
