In the current WTC 2025-27, India has slipped to fifth place in the points table with 48%. India’s next test match is scheduled for August 2026, an away series against Sri Lanka after nearly eight months. Later, India will host Australia in January 2027, which is almost 13 months away. Of the nine remaining matches, India needs to win at least six to stay in the race for the WTC 2027 final. Out of these nine games, India has four away matches: two against New Zealand and two against Sri Lanka.
How can Team India bounce back in the WTC 2025-27 cycle? What should be the strategies to stay afloat in WTC 2025-27? BCCI, the selection committee, the Head Coach, and the captain should scratch their brain on the following two important aspects.
Fix the number three conundrum
/crictoday/media/media_files/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Cheteshwar-Pujara-3-1024x576.jpg)
Since Pujara’s retirement, India has not found a reliable batsman to play at number three in Test matches. India tried alternatives like Karun Nair, Sai Sudarshan, and Washington Sundar over the last eight Test matches with limited success. India needs to give a long run to a number three player who can serve the team for at least another 10 years, not only on the spinning subcontinent pitches but also to withstand fierce fast bowling spells on the bouncy pitches of SENA countries. Based on domestic and international records, Shubman Gill appears to be the best long-term option for India at number three. This will open the number four spot for talented players like Padikkal or Sarfaraz Khan, who have scored runs in every domestic condition.
Avoid “Bits and Pieces” Players: Back Clear Primary Skills
In the series against South Africa, India has played with four all-rounders. Akshar Patel played in the first test at Kolkata to add batting depth and serve as the fourth spinner on the turning pitches. He performed with the bat but couldn’t deliver the result. He was replaced by Nitish Kumar Reddy in the next test match at Guwahati because Gill was injured, and Nitish is Gill’s right-hand batting replacement. Reddy bowled less than 10 overs in the entire match, whereas South Africa’s team played more than 200 overs in both innings. His contribution with the bat in that test match is not worth mentioning. You don’t need an all-rounder coming to bat from the number 6 to 9 positions.
India should not play more than two all-rounders in the team. Ravindra Jadeja looks certain for the test side when he is fit, and he has contributed with bat and ball at times in the last few years. India must be sensible in choosing between Washy (Batting all-rounder) and Nitish (Fast bowling all-rounder), depending on the pitch conditions. Rather than playing with three all-rounders, India should play a genuine batsman in the top six to strengthen their batting order. India has a rich pool of domestic batters who have piled up runs in first-class cricket.
