The Chennai ODI saw India pick five quick bowlers in their game versus Afghanistan, Harshit Rana stepping in for the last match. Yet ahead of the upcoming games against England, picking that many seamers on foreign soil seems off the table.

Soon after the Afghanistan series ends on June 20, the BCCI should name the team for the England ODIs. As plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup move faster, this tour might bring back a few known players – though picking them won’t be easy. While some names reappear, others may find their spots under pressure.

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj set to return, competition intensifies

Back home during the Afghanistan matches, Jasprit Bumrah sat out due to load control. In his place, Mohammed Siraj played the solitary Test at Mullanpur but skipped the ODIs afterwards. Come the England tour, both fast bowlers should be back in the fold.

Jasprit Bumrah last appeared in an ODI during the 2023 World Cup decider against Australia – since then, a fitness issue has ruled him out of the 2025 Champions Trophy. As India slowly gears up for the 2027 ODI World Cup, his comeback could strengthen the fast-bowling unit.

Mohammed Siraj has played just nine ODIs across two and a half years. Left out of the Champions Trophy squad, he missed the cut when India chose to field only two frontline fast bowlers instead. Still, right now, he stands among India’s top limited-overs pace options – more so since moving past Mohammed Shami. From 2019 onwards, through 46 spells leading the attack, his tally sits at 74 wickets.

Harshit Rana might find himself boarding that plane to England. Fresh off recovery from knee surgery – the one that kept him away since February – the quick bowler earned a spot in the Chennai ODI lineup.

What tilts things in his favour, he can swing a bat decently, a handy trait now that Hardik Pandya has stepped out of the series.
If India heads to England, their pace attack will likely stay within a four-man limit. That sets up a contest between Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, and Gurnoor Brar. Only a few spots mean sharper edges matter. Names may linger on paper, but performance tends to tip the scales. One strong outing can shift attention faster than expected.

Right now, it’s Prasidh and Gurnoor who seem ahead.

During the Afghanistan tour, they both stood out – calm at the start with fresh deliveries, yet just as sharp later on. What sets them apart is how fast they are, plus their knack for fitting into different stages of an innings. That mix gives them a real edge.

Even though Arshdeep knows his way around the new ball, space might shrink for him. On the flip side, Prince Yadav flashed potential when facing Afghanistan, yet stayed quiet through most of the series. While capable of delivering overs at any stage, his numbers haven’t risen as Prasidh’s or Gurnoor’s did.

Predicted India pace attack for England ODIs:

jasprit bumrah
Mohammed Siraj
Harshit Rana
Prasidh Krishna
Gurnoor Brar

Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav could be the unlucky names to miss out as India narrow down their fast-bowling options ahead of a crucial ODI assignment in England.