The T20 World Cup 2026 is done. India won it at home. The IPL is winding down. And now, for the first time since January’s disappointing home ODI series loss to New Zealand, India’s 50‑over machine is being reassembled — but not with the parts you remember. The Afghanistan series, starting June 6 in Mullanpur, is the first concrete step on the road to the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar was unambiguous: “With regard to one‑day cricket, we have 15–16 months left to that World Cup. Somewhere around there, we want to obviously try and assess what our options are, particularly keeping in mind the conditions in South Africa, and give a little bit of exposure to some of the newer guys.”

That philosophy — assess, rotate, expose — explains almost every decision in these squads. It explains why Jasprit Bumrah, India’s most important bowler across formats, has been rested. It explains why Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, two left‑arm spin all‑rounders with over 500 international wickets between them, have been left out of the ODI squad. “We know what Ravindra Jadeja or Axar Patel can do,” Agarkar said. “This is the time we try and give some opportunity to some of the other guys.”

And it explains, more than anything, why Rishabh Pant — the man who was vice‑captain of India’s Test team as recently as the England tour — is not in the ODI squad, and no longer wears the vice‑captain’s badge in Tests either.

The most dramatic headline from Tuesday’s announcement was not an inclusion. It was an exclusion. Rishabh Pant, India’s first‑choice wicketkeeper‑batter in Tests and a proven match‑winner in the 50‑over format, was dropped from the ODI squad. He also lost his Test vice‑captaincy to KL Rahul.

Pant’s IPL 2026 campaign was a disappointment — both as a batter and as captain of the Lucknow Super Giants. LSG finished with just four wins in thirteen matches and were officially eliminated from playoff contention. Pant himself managed 345 runs at a strike rate of 138.55 — respectable, but not the dominant returns expected of a player on a Rs 27 crore contract.

Agarkar, however, framed the decision not as a punishment but as a redirection. “We want him to become the best Test player that he has always been,” the chairman of selectors said. “I don’t think there is any concern with his spot in the Test team. I think he is one of our main batters in that line‑up. (He) had a really good tour of England till he got injured. So, I am sure he would like a few more runs.”

The message is clear: Pant’s Test career is not in jeopardy. But the selectors want him focused, hungry, and redirected toward the format where his unique genius — the counter‑attacking century at Edgbaston in 2022, the fearless 89 at the Gabba in 2021 — has done the most damage.

KL Rahul, whose IPL 2026 returns of 533 runs at a strike rate of 180.00 for Delhi Capitals have been among the best of his career, has been rewarded with the Test vice‑captaincy. “KL provides us with the necessary experience that you need in case the situation arises,” Agarkar said. “Plus, he has obviously had a really good tour of England and against the West Indies.”

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are both back in India’s ODI squad. For Kohli, whose commitment to the 2027 World Cup was recently reiterated in an interview with the ICC, the selection is a straightforward continuation of a stellar IPL 2026 campaign — 542 runs at an average of 54.20 and a strike rate of 164.74, his fastest‑ever IPL season.[reference:0]

For Rohit, the path is more complicated. The 39‑year‑old missed five consecutive IPL matches for Mumbai Indians with a right hamstring injury sustained in late April. He returned only as an Impact Substitute, and while his batting form remained solid — 268 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 170.70 — concerns remain about his ability to field for a full 50 overs and bat through long periods. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that Rohit’s inclusion — and that of Hardik Pandya, who has been nursing back spasms — is “subject to fitness clearance” ahead of the series.[reference:1]

The likely top order — Gill and Rohit opening, Kohli at first drop, followed by Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul — is, on paper, one of the most experienced ODI line‑ups India have fielded since the 2023 World Cup final.

The most forward‑looking aspect of these squads is the inclusion of four uncapped players. Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, and Manav Suthar are not household names — yet. But each has been identified by the selectors as possessing a skill set that could be invaluable in South African conditions fifteen months from now.