No Bumrah, No Hardik, No Answers: Why India Needs Jadeja, Bhuvi, and Siraj Back
India’s ODI team looks shaky without some of its senior stars, and this problem needs fixing before the 2027 World Cup arrives. Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami should get more chances in the 50-over format because the current mix of players is simply not doing the job.
The All-Rounder Gap Nobody Is Filling
When Hardik Pandya sits out of the ODI team or even from the T20I team, India feels his absence badly. Hardik gives the team balance. He can bowl useful overs, hit big shots down the order, and even bat higher up if needed. But when he is missing, no one else has stepped up properly.
Shivam Dube got chances but could not hold down the middle-order all-rounder spot with both bat and ball. Harshit Rana looked promising with the new ball at times, yet his batting has not added much value. Washington Sundar offers steady off-spin but does not bring the same power-hitting or pace-bowling options that Hardik brings to the side.
This is exactly where Ravindra Jadeja becomes so important. Even at this stage of his career, Jadeja gives the team control with his left-arm spin, sharp fielding, and handy lower-order batting. In 204 ODIs, he has scored over 2,800 runs and picked up more than 230 wickets, numbers that show his value has never really dropped. Jadeja may not hit boundaries like Hardik, but he brings calm and balance that the newer all-rounders simply have not managed yet.
Fast Bowling Attack Looks Weak Without Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah is India’s biggest match-winner with the ball. When he is not in the playing eleven, the pace attack loses its sharp edge. Batters from other teams seem to enjoy their innings much more when Bumrah is not around to trouble them early on.
Arshdeep Singh has shown some good form and remains a bright spot among the newer bowlers. He swings the ball well and picks up wickets in tricky periods. However, the same cannot be said for several other young pacers who got their chance recently.
Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, and Prasidh Krishna all struggled badly against England’s batters in recent matches. Runs flowed freely off their bowling, and they could not find any answers. It felt like England’s batting lineup was hitting them around at will, with little control shown from the Indian bowling side. This kind of performance raises real worry about India’s fast-bowling depth heading into a major tournament.
This is why bringing back proven performers like Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami makes so much sense. Siraj has been the No. 1 ranked ODI bowler in the world before and once ripped through Sri Lanka with figures of 6/21 in an Asia Cup final. He knows how to read match situations and change his bowling based on what the pitch and batters need. Bhuvi and Shami, too, have a rich history of delivering when it matters most in ODI cricket, especially with the new ball and in tricky middle-over spells.
Both bowlers bring experience that younger players simply do not have yet. While it is good to test new talent, throwing inexperienced bowlers into big series without enough support has clearly backfired. The results speak for themselves, and India cannot keep hoping things will magically improve on their own.
The Spin Department Also Needs a Fix
Spin bowling has traditionally been one of India’s strongest weapons in ODI cricket, but even this area has looked below its best lately. Without Kuldeep Yadav in the mix, no other spinner has managed to create the same kind of pressure or take wickets at key moments.
Kuldeep’s wrist-spin brings something different to the table compared to other bowlers in the squad. He can turn the ball both ways and troubles batters who are used to facing only finger-spinners. His ability to pick up wickets in the middle overs, when teams usually try to build partnerships, makes him extremely valuable.
Without him, opposition batters have found it easier to settle in and rotate strike without much fear. This has allowed teams to post bigger totals or chase down targets more comfortably than they should have. Bringing Kuldeep back into regular selection would give India’s bowling attack the variety it clearly lacks right now.
Experience and Big Tournament
Cricket fans often want to see new faces in the team, and trying out fresh talent is a normal part of building a squad. However, there is a difference between giving youngsters chances and throwing them into the deep end without proper support around them.
Right now, it looks like India has leaned too much on inexperienced players across both the fast bowling and all-rounder departments. The results in recent series show that this approach has not worked well. Batters from other teams have taken full advantage of the lack of experience, scoring freely against bowlers who are still finding their footing at the international level.
Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar, Siraj, and Shami are not just names from the past. They are proven match-winners who know exactly how to handle pressure situations in ODI cricket. Bhuvneshwar, in particular, has always been known for his clever variations with the new ball and his ability to control the game during tough middle-over phases. His skill in setting up batters and picking the right moment to change his line and length has helped India many times in the past.
Building a Team With the Right Balance
A good ODI team needs a proper balance of experience and youth. Right now, India’s team looks tilted too much towards untested players in crucial bowling and all-rounder roles. This has directly affected results, especially in bowling performances against strong batting lineups like England’s.
Bringing back Jadeja gives the team a reliable all-rounder option once again. His presence also takes pressure off other batters and bowlers because he can fill in different roles depending on what the match situation demands. Similarly, recalling Bhuvneshwar, Siraj, and Shami would immediately strengthen a pace attack that has looked toothless without Bumrah leading the charge.
At the same time, giving Kuldeep Yadav more regular opportunities would bring back that spin threat which has been missing. Together, these senior players could help stabilize a squad that seems to be searching for answers in almost every department outside of Bumrah and a handful of others.
Plan For The ODI World Cup 2027
The 2027 ODI World Cup is not too far away, and India cannot afford to enter that tournament with unresolved issues in bowling and all-round balance. Selectors need to think carefully about which combination gives the team the best chance of success, rather than just experimenting for the sake of it.
Recalling proven performers like Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar, Siraj, and Shami, alongside Kuldeep Yadav, would bring back much-needed stability. These are players who have delivered for India across different conditions and different opponents over many years. Their experience, skill, and game awareness cannot be replaced overnight by players who are still learning the ropes at the international level.
India’s cricket team has always thrived when it found the right balance between fresh energy and battle-tested experience. Right now, that balance seems missing, and it shows clearly in recent performances against a strong side like England. Bringing back these senior players is not about ignoring young talent altogether, but about making sure the team has enough support and stability around them while they continue to grow into their roles.
