Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return as Shubman Gill-led India assess squad depth in three-match home series
Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 2026 : With the 2027 ODI World Cup now a little over a year away, India will begin another important phase of their preparations when they take on the West Indies in a three-match series, starting Sunday at the Greenfield International Stadium here.
The series will bring senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back into action after a break from international cricket. Both last featured for India during the ODI series in England in July. Shubman Gill will continue to lead the Indian ODI side, with KL Rahul serving as vice-captain.
Kohli has remained an important part of India’s ODI plans, while Rohit ended the England series on a high by scoring a century in the third ODI. Their return adds experience to an Indian squad that will also provide opportunities to several players seeking regular places in the side.
With some first-choice white-ball players unavailable because of their participation in the Asian Games, the series offers India an opportunity to assess their bench strength. Players such as Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhruv Jurel, Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi and Naman Dhir could benefit from increased game time. Nabi and Dhir are among the players receiving maiden ODI call-ups.
Another player attracting attention will be Yashasvi Jaiswal. The left-handed opener is part of the ODI squad and could be considered as an option alongside Rohit and Gill as India continue to assess their opening combinations ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
For West Indies, the series assumes added importance as they prepare for the 2027 World Cup qualification process. The Caribbean side have not secured automatic qualification and will have to go through the qualifiers next year. The tour therefore provides Shai Hope’s side with valuable ODI exposure against India.
The three-match series will begin in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, followed by the second ODI in Guwahati on September 30. The third and final match will be played in New Chandigarh on October 3. All three games are scheduled to begin at 2 pm IST.
India ODI squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Naman Dhir.
West Indies ODI squad: Shai Hope (captain), Jewel Andrew, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Vitel Lawes, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales.
The ODI series will be followed by five T20Is, beginning October 6. The ODIs will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website.
