There is no front-runner for a position when you are trying to win World Cup: Gautam Gambhir

India should pick players for the World Cup based on their current form and game-changing impact rather than favouring any 'frontrunner' for a particular slot, former opener Gautam Gambhir has said.

India will play in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and then a three-match home series against Australia in the build-up to the ODI World Cup beginning on October 5.

“One thing is clear, there is no front-runner for a position when you are trying to win the World Cup," Gambhir told Star Sports, discussing on India's team for the upcoming Asia Cup.

The injured duo of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have been picked after recovering in time as the 17-man Asia Cup squad also includes rookie left-hander Tilak Varma, who is yet to play in ODIs.

The Indian selectors also have reposed faith in Suryakumar Yadav, who is yet to establish himself significantly in ODIs, while Ishan Kishan is the second wicketkeeper behind Rahul.

"Just as (Team India skipper) Rohit Sharma had said, there is no guarantee for anybody’s position...

"It’s great to have Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul back from injury, but they will need to perform if they want to get in the starting lineup of the squad.”

"If Tilak Varma is in better form than someone; if Suryakumar Yadav is in better form than Shreyas Iyer or KL Rahul or Ishan Kishan, then you need to start that player...

"The World Cup comes once in four years, you don’t go and see who is a front-runner or not," Gambhir added.

Gambhir further hailed the decision to give Suryakumar Yadav a longer rope.

"Suryakumar Yadav may not have the consistency, but he has the impact, and the team management should find the most efficient way to use him."

Furthermore, besides the Asia Cup, he also feels that the three-match ODI series against Australia just before the CWC would help in taking a call as to who goes on to play in the global showpiece.

"That series (ODIs vs Australia) will determine who plays in the World Cup rather than deciding after the series is over that who will play in the World Cup. Because there should be a series before the World Cup where your main squad plays together.”

On the debate of having three left-handed batters in the playing XI, Gambhir stuck to his idea of having in-form players.

“As I’ve said earlier, form is important. This debate about who is a left-hander or a right-hander or whether we need three left-handers is a useless debate."

"It’s not a compulsion that you have to keep a left-hander in the squad or that you need to have three left-handers in the line-up."

"If we are focusing on left-handers, then what about Yashasvi Jaiswal and other left-handers?" he asked.

"We look at quality. We do not look to see how many left-handers are in the squad. If the batsman is good regardless of whether he is a right-hander or a left-hander, we should see how he performs in every condition and against each bowler," he concluded.