WV Raman: Too early to fix India's pace attack for 2027 ODI World Cup
Synopsis
India won the West Indies ODI series 2-1 but the bowling unit raised more questions than it answered — and former batter WV Raman isn't ready to close the debate. With Bumrah the only certainty and Pandya, Rana, and a raft of debutants carrying injury or form doubts, he argues a year is too short a runway to settle combinations, but long enough for new claimants to emerge.
Key Takeaways
WV Raman said on 15 October 2026 it is too early to finalise India's pace attack for the 2027 ODI World Cup .
India beat the West Indies 2-1 in the ODI series but the pace bowling — minus Jasprit Bumrah — failed to make an impact.
Debutants Auqib Nabi and Anshul Kamboj proved costly; Mohammed Siraj , Gurnoor Brar , and Nitish Kumar Reddy were largely ineffective.
Raman named Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh as ODI options alongside Bumrah, with Harshit Rana and Hardik Pandya contingent on fitness.
India's T20I series vs New Zealand begins 22 October ; the ODI series runs 4–15 November 2026 .
Raman warned against underestimating New Zealand, calling them 'masters at playing well as a unit.'
Former India batter WV Raman said on Thursday, 15 October 2026 that it is premature to finalise India's fast bowling combination for the 2027 Men's ODI World Cup, citing recurring injuries to frontline pacers and the long runway still available before the tournament. His assessment adds analytical weight to growing concerns about India's pace depth following a 2-1 ODI series win over the West Indies that exposed the team's over-reliance on its bowling spearhead.
Series win, bowling questions
While the batting unit delivered handsomely — with captain Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul all in fine touch — the bowling unit struggled to consistently break through, on pitches that offered little assistance to either side. Kuldeep Yadav's performance in the series opener in Thiruvananthapuram stood out as the lone bright spot with the ball.
The absence of Jasprit Bumrah, away on Asian Games duty, and injuries to Hardik Pandya and Harshit Rana, gave fringe and debutant pacers a rare opportunity — one they largely failed to convert. Debutants Auqib Nabi and Anshul Kamboj proved costly, while Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy made little impact.
Raman's take on the pace bowling picture
'Well, it's too early if you are talking about the bowlers because one year is a long time as far as a settled combination is concerned. For a simple reason, we have seen a lot of bowlers not playing regularly due to injuries,' Raman said in a select virtual interaction facilitated by Sony Sports Network.
He outlined a provisional hierarchy for ODIs: Bumrah as the anchor, with Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh — valued for his left-arm angle — as strong candidates. Harshit Rana and Hardik Pandya were mentioned as further options, both subject to fitness clearances. 'There are a lot of question marks as far as fitness is concerned. So, that's one of the reasons why I think it's going to be a bit tricky to really fix your mind on who the likely bowlers are going to be one year hence,' he added.
India's upcoming New Zealand challenge
With the T20I series against New Zealand kicking off on 22 October 2026 and a five-match ODI series to follow from 4–15 November, India's selectors are expected to announce the ODI squad shortly. Raman stressed that the ongoing India A red-ball series in New Zealand is primarily an acclimatisation exercise, with the chance of any player being called up to the main squad described as secondary.
On the technical challenges awaiting batters in Wellington and Christchurch, Raman advised playing late and close to the body to handle nip and wind. 'The ball is going to wobble a little bit and also because of the resistance in the air when it's nippy, it's going to come a little bit slower in the air than it is the case in India,' he explained, adding that batters cannot simply hit through the line as freely as they would in subcontinental conditions.
New Zealand: don't be fooled by the names
Raman cautioned India against underestimating the Black Caps, noting their trademark collective discipline. 'There's no flair, there's no flamboyance. It's just that you tend to think they are like good kids attending a classroom... But they produce the results that they're after,' he said, warning that New Zealand's lack of marquee names should not be mistaken for a lack of threat.
He also suggested that, unlike England's back-of-a-length strategy that troubled India's top order in the T20I series defeat in July, New Zealand bowlers are more likely to pitch it fuller if surfaces offer lateral movement — a line that would invite Indian batters to play on the up and expose their adjustment to swing conditions.
With the World Cup qualifying window opening and squad spots up for grabs, the New Zealand tour is fast becoming India's most consequential bowling audition of the cycle.
Point of View
But the structural concern is deeper: India have consistently struggled to develop a second-line pace attack that functions without its spearhead, and the West Indies series only reinforced that dependence. The New Zealand tour, beginning in conditions where pace and movement are genuine factors, may be the most important audition of the World Cup cycle — the selectors would do well to treat it as such rather than resting frontliners for format rotation.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does WV Raman say it is too early to finalise India's fast bowling for the 2027 ODI World Cup?
Raman argues that recurring injuries to frontline pacers mean the available pool keeps shifting, and that a year's worth of cricket provides enough time for new bowlers to stake a claim. He believes fixing combinations this early risks ignoring form and fitness developments that will inevitably change the picture.
Who are the pace bowling options Raman identified for India's ODI setup?
Raman cited Jasprit Bumrah as the anchor, with Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh as the next candidates. He also mentioned Harshit Rana and Hardik Pandya as further options, both subject to recovering full fitness before the World Cup.
What went wrong with India's bowling in the West Indies ODI series?
In the absence of Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Harshit Rana, India's replacement pacers failed to capitalise on their opportunities. Debutants Auqib Nabi and Anshul Kamboj were expensive, while Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy had minimal impact on flat pitches.
What technical adjustments did Raman suggest for Indian batters touring New Zealand?
Raman advised Indian batters to play late and close to the body to handle the nippy, windy conditions in New Zealand, where the ball moves slower through the air and wobbles more than in subcontinental conditions. He said batters cannot hit through the line as freely as they would at home.
When do India's upcoming series against New Zealand begin?
The T20I series against New Zealand starts on 22 October 2026, followed by a five-match ODI series running from 4 to 15 November 2026. India A is already in New Zealand for a red-ball series as part of the acclimatisation process.
