3 Indian cricketers who could miss 2027 ODI World Cup due to fitness concerns
Hardik Pandya (Source: Getty Images)
Published - 05 Nov 2026, 09:30 PM• Read time - 12 mins
The countdown to the 2027 ODI World Cup has begun. The marquee tournament is set to get underway on October 2, with Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa confirmed as co-hosts. India, runners-up in the previous edition, find themselves in Group A alongside defending champions Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A.
The Men in Blue came agonisingly close to lifting the ODI World Cup in 2023, only to be denied by Pat Cummins' Australia in the final. Since then, India have rebuilt their squad and will be aiming to go one step further under the leadership of Shubman Gill and the guidance of head coach Gautam Gambhir.
However, India have a major concern that could prove a significant roadblock in their quest for glory. Three players who are firmly in the team management's plans for the 2027 World Cup have a history of recurring injuries and could find their participation under threat if their workloads are not managed carefully.
#1 Nitish Kumar Reddy
Injury Timeline
| No. | Date | Injury | Missed Matches/Tours | Return | Rehab Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 2024 | Hernia | Zimbabwe T20Is, Sri Lanka white-ball tour | Duleep Trophy (September 2024) | ~9 weeks (2.25 months) |
| 2 | January 2025 | Side strain (during England T20I preparations) | England white-ball tour, Champions Trophy | IPL 2025 (March 2025) | ~2 months |
| 3 | July 2025 | Knee injury | Last two Tests of England tour | India A (September 2025) | ~2 months |
| 4 | October 2025 | Left quadriceps strain | 3rd ODI vs Australia | Later in October 2025 | N/A |
| 5 | October 2025 | Neck spasms | Australia T20Is | South Africa Tests (November 2025) | ~2 weeks |
| 6 | June 2026 | Left quadriceps injury | India tour of UK, Zimbabwe T20Is, Sri Lanka Tests | Afghanistan T20I series (September 2026) | ~3 months |
#2 Jasprit Bumrah
Injury Timeline
| No. | Date | Injury | Missed Matches/Tours | Return | Rehab Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 2019 | Lower back stress fracture | South Africa Tests, Bangladesh all-format tour, West Indies white-ball tours of India | Sri Lanka T20Is (January 2020) | ~4 months |
| 2 | January 2021 | Abdominal strain | 4th Test vs Australia (Gabba) | England home Tests (2021) | ~1 month |
| 3 | July 2022 | Back spasms | 3rd ODI vs England, Asia Cup 2022 | September 2022 | ~2 months |
| 4 | September 2022 | Recurrence of back stress fracture (followed by surgery) | 2022 T20 World Cup, New Zealand tour, Bangladesh tour, home series vs New Zealand & Sri Lanka, 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia ODIs, IPL 2023, WTC Final 2023, West Indies tour | Ireland T20Is (August 2023) | ~11 months |
| 5 | January 2025 | Back injury (Sydney Test) | England white-ball tour, Champions Trophy, first four IPL 2025 matches | IPL 2025 (April 2025) | ~3 months |
| 6 | July 2026 | Left knee impact | Final ODI vs England, Sri Lanka Tests, Zimbabwe T20Is | Asian Games 2026 (September 2026) | ~2 months |
#3 Hardik Pandya
Injury Timeline
| No. | Date | Injury | Missed Matches/Tours | Return | Rehab Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 2018 | Lower back strain | Remainder of Asia Cup 2018, West Indies home series, Australia T20Is, first two Tests vs Australia | December 2018 | ~3 months |
| 2 | September 2019 | Recurrence of back injury (followed by surgery) | South Africa, Bangladesh, West Indies, Sri Lanka home series, New Zealand tour | DY Patil T20 (March 2020) | ~6 months |
| 3 | October 2023 | Ankle injury | Remainder of 2023 ODI World Cup, Australia T20Is, South Africa white-ball tour, Afghanistan T20Is | IPL 2024 | ~5 months |
| 4 | September 2025 | Left quadriceps injury | Asia Cup final, Australia white-ball tour, South Africa ODIs | Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 | ~2 months |
| 5 | May 2026 | Back spasms (first injury in chain) | Three IPL matches for Mumbai Indians | Returned during IPL 2026 | N/A |
| 6 | June 2026 | Quadriceps strain | Afghanistan ODIs, India white-ball tour of UK | September 2026 | ~3 months |
| 7 | September 2026 | Shin injury | India A ODIs vs Australia A, West Indies white-ball tour of India, New Zealand white-ball tour | Still sidelined | Ongoing |