India will have its ODI World Cup 2027 schedule ready by the end of the 2026 Indian Premier League season, coach Gautam Gambhir said. Speaking after India’s defense of the T20 World Cup on Sunday, March 8, Gambhir said the management will take a well-deserved rest and then start working on its plan for the next big ICC tournament.
The ODI World Cup 2027 will be held in the fast and stormy conditions of South Africa. The tournament will also be co-hosted by Namibia and Zimbabwe. Speaking about the event, Gambhir said his team will work to identify individuals for the tournament and finalize the schedule by the end of May. India will play 25 to 30 ODIs in preparation for the ICC event.
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“Planning for World Cup 2027 will start after IPL. There are 25 to 30 ODIs between IPL 2026 and World Cup. This format is not played much these days. The earlier we start planning, the better it will be for us,” Gautam Gambhir said in an interview.
“South Africa is not an easy place to play cricket. We have to come up with combinations and identify players who are suitable for the conditions. That will be done by selectors and coaches. By the time IPL 2026 is over, India will have a plan for ODI World Cup 2027,” Gambhir added.
Former Indian captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be in the limelight when India play their next ODI match. The team will return to action on June 14 in their three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. The Afghanistan side was impressive in the previous edition of the World Cup held in India where they narrowly missed out on a semi-final spot thanks to Glenn Maxwell’s record double hundred.
After Afghanistan, India will travel to England for a three-match ODI series.
The fates of both senior players will depend on their performances in the said matches. Virat Kohli has been in sensational form in ODIs recently, scoring a truckload of runs against South Africa and New Zealand. In stark contrast to Virat, Rohit’s runs dried up in the New Zealand series, but he looks hell-bent on making a strong comeback.
Rohit lost a lot of weight and trained in Mumbai alongside Angkrish Raghuvanshi. Before the ODI matches, the duo will be seen playing for their respective franchises in the Indian Premier League 2026 season.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
09 March 2026 21:54 IST
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