ODI World Cup 2027: 3 Indian spinners fighting for a place

The 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa is drawing closer, and India's spin bowling positions are far from settled. Several players are making their case through recent performances and squad call-ups.

The competition is particularly sharp among the spin all-rounders, where form, fitness and tactical needs will all influence the final 15-man squad. Indian veteran Ravindra Jadeja is most likely to be in the setup but he needs some good support from other spinners during the middle overs.

Here are three Indian spin bowlers fighting for World Cup places:

1. Axar Patel

Axar Patel is the most experienced of the three spinners under consideration here. The left-arm spinner has taken 80 wickets in 74 ODIs at a bowling average of 32.73, and a spot in the 15-man World Cup squad is assessed as a near-certainty for him. He has also upgraded his batting, scoring two ODI half-centuries since 2025. His selection in the playing XI, however, will depend on competition from other spin all-rounders. Reports from around August 2026 suggest he is being touted as the main spin all-rounder in India's plans for South Africa, making his form in the lead-up period critical to the team's spin strategy.