Ravichandran Ashwin backs Bhuvneshwar Kumar for India's 2027 World Cup squad

Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has publicly urged the inclusion of veteran fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar in India's squad for the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Ashwin said Kumar should be given regular game time in domestic competitions to prepare for the tournament, describing him as a "yes" for the squad.

Ashwin also outlined his own preferred 15‑member core, confirming senior players such as Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj. He placed younger prospects Harshit Rana and wicket‑keeper Ishan Kishan in the "maybe" category. Notably, he excluded Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, and several other current stars, and ruled out Mohammed Shami's availability.

His recommendations were shared in a video posted on ESPNcricinfo’s YouTube channel, where he emphasized Kumar’s swing and recent IPL form as reasons to reconsider his omission from the limited‑overs setup.