Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should include veteran spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2027, which will take place in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Kuldeep Yadav's performance vs West Indies

Kuldeep, who is currently part of India's squad for the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, played a crucial role in restricting the Caribbean side from crossing the 300-run mark with a four-wicket haul.

ALSO READ: ODI World Cup 2027 Schedule Announcement Date Revealed: India, Pakistan Among Teams Set To Qualify

Kuldeep Yadav's last international outing

Kuldeep, who was part of the Rohit Sharma-led ICC Champions Trophy 2025-winning side, was left out of the playing XI for the three-match ODI series against England in July, and after that he featured in only one match during the T20I series against Afghanistan before featuring against West Indies in the 1st ODI.

ALSO READ: 'People Want Masala’: Rohit Sharma Opens Up On His Long-Standing Bond With Virat Kohli

When will ODI World Cup 2027 start?

The ODI World Cup 2027 is scheduled to start on October 02 and the final of the tournament will take place on November 21.  The tournament will feature 14 teams, with 10 places decided by September 30 and the remaining four determined through the qualification tournament.

How Will Teams Qualify?

Hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe have already secured their places in the competition.

Eight more teams will qualify directly through the ICC ODI rankings. India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Australia, England, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are currently in line to make the cut.

Bangladesh, who are ninth in the rankings, are also set to qualify because South Africa, ranked third, have already secured their spot as hosts.

Namibia, despite being one of the three host nations, have not yet guaranteed their place in the tournament.

The remaining four teams will come through the qualifiers and will be listed in the World Cup schedule as Qualifier 1, Qualifier 2, Qualifier 3 and Qualifier 4.

West Indies, who are currently playing an ODI series in India, will need to go through the qualification route. The qualifying tournament is expected to be held early next year.