India will have the blueprint ready for the ODI World Cup 2027 by the end of the IPL 2026 season, according to head coach Gautam Gambhir.
India will have the blueprint ready for the ODI World Cup 2027 by the end of the IPL 2026 season, according to head coach Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir’s comments came just one day after India clinched the T20 World Cup 2026 title thanks to a comfortable win over New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. It was a brilliant campaign for the Suryakumar Yadav-led side who lost just one game against South Africa and absolutely dominated their opponents in the semifinal as well as the final. Gambhir revealed that the coaching staff will take rest following the tournament and will then start to prepare for the ODI World Cup. The World Cup, which will be held in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, is expected to witness a number of bouncy pitches and Gambhir said that the team management will work on identifying individuals fitted for the conditions and finalise their plan and tactics by the end of the IPL 2026 season.
“The planning for the 2027 World Cup will start after the IPL. There are 25 to 30 ODIs between IPL 2026 and the World Cup. This format is not played a lot these days. The earlier we start planning, the better it will be for us,” he told India Today.
“South Africa is not an easy place to play cricket. We have to figure out combinations and identify the players who are suited to the conditions. The selectors and the coaches will do that. By the time IPL 2026 ends, India will have a blueprint for the ODI World Cup 2027,” Gambhir added.
Meanwhile, Gambhir straight batted all team atmosphere-related questions a day after India’s T20 World Cup win.
“My philosophy is simple – if the majority of the team members are not happy with me, there is no point in me staying in that dressing room. If the majority is happy, I am doing the right job. If you report genuinely, you will know how the atmosphere of the team is. The Indian team’s atmosphere can’t stay hidden from anybody because there is so much scrutiny, limelight and media attention,” the coach said.