For two teams, ten spots apart in the ODI rankings, the three-match series offers vastly different perspectives and purposes. India have the liberty to test their backups, chop and change a bit, and still give their ODI showstoppers much-needed game time leading up to the World Cup.
For West Indies, World Cup qualification is now out of bounds; they must take the Qualifier route five months from now. And the India tour with its own historical baggage: in the last two decades, West Indies haven’t once won a bilateral series against them. The gap stretches to 24 years, when considering their last series win in India.
Explore the latest updates, breaking news and important developments from Jammu & Kashmir.
Ranked tenth in the ICC rankings, West Indies also come into the series with the backdrop of sweeping corrective measures back home. Head coach Daren Sammy, though, exuded optimism, calling it a great opportunity for his side to “challenge and measures ourselves as to where we are in ODIs”. A day later, Shai Hope echoed the same, calling it a real test to face India in their backyard.
The attention can never escape Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, still the two biggest crowd-pullers around. Two days ahead of the first ODI, they had long batting sessions in side-by-side nets. The very next day, Kohli reminded fans of the finiteness of it all, saying he’s driven by the motivation of playing his last World Cup, a year away. As for Rohit, the speculative overdrive on his future from a few months ago now feels like a forgotten story.
For those invested in history, the very first ODI at this ground was played in 2018 between these two teams. The only other ODI here came five years later, when Kohli smashed 166 and Gill hit 116, handing India their biggest victory by runs (317).
When: India vs West Indies, 1st ODI, September 27, 2026
Where: Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram
What to expect: The weather has been largely clear for the past two days, albeit a brief but sharp spell of rain an hour before India’s practice on Friday (September 25). It remained hot and humid one day before, with the entire India team opting out of practice, except for Auqib Nabi’s batting stint. Morne Morkel called it “good batting conditions” with the new ball phase being a “bit challenging”, based on feedback from his batters. The last international game at this venue was a 271 vs 225 T20I between India and New Zealand in January.
Team news: IndiaIndia briefly had an injury scare, when Shubman Gill was forced to leave the nets after being hit by a Mohammed Siraj delivery. He sat for the remainder of the session with an icepack on his elbow, not returning to bat, but Sitanshu Kotak insisted the following day that he would be good to play. In case there’s a dramatic twist, India still have Yashasvi Jaiswal as a backup opener, always itching for game time.
Elsewhere, the big question lies at No.4, vacant without Shreyas Iyer, and the make-up of their pace attack. Gaikwad is likely to take up the two-down slot, or at least is the frontrunner, while India could go with a three-member pace attack and NKR, given the bounce seen in the practice sessions.
Probable XI: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj
Team news: West IndiesWest Indies only practiced one of the evenings, and contrary to India’s practice the day before, it wasn’t full-throttle intensity, easing their way into the tour. Shai Hope understandably forms their batting fulcrum, but they also come with a measured mix of experience and new faces. Jewel Andrew returns after nearly a year, and there’s intrigue around Amir Jangoo, 29 but still young in his West Indies career. Vitel Lawes, meanwhile, adds more layers to a spin attack that already has the experienced arms of Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase.
Probable XI: John Campbell, Justin Greaves/Jewel Andrew, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (c & wk), Amir Jangoo, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales
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