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India face West Indies in the opening match of a three-match ODI series at Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, on Sunday, September 27, 2026. There are certain questions about the middle-order composition and seam-bowling department as the team balances experience with emerging talent in a critical series.
Rohit Sharma returns after a two-month absence from international cricket, having last featured at Lord’s against England where he scored a century. Shubman Gill captains the side, while KL Rahul serves as vice-captain for the series. Gill has established himself as India’s leading run-scorer in ODIs during 2026, making him a cornerstone of the batting lineup.
Top order: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Virat Kohli
Rohit Sharma opens the innings alongside captain Shubman Gill, with Virat Kohli positioned at number three. Kohli brings strong form in 2026 with a notable ODI record against West Indies. Gill’s consistency throughout the year has made him indispensable to India’s ODI plans, and his captaincy adds another dimension to the team’s leadership structure. Rohit will be high on confidence after his stellar century in the third ODI against England at Lord’s.
Middle order and lower Order: Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja
Ruturaj Gaikwad takes the number four position in the absence of Shreyas Iyer, who is competing at the Asian Games. Gaikwad has accumulated 228 runs from 9 ODIs at an average of 28.50, numbers that don’t justify his talent as a batter. KL Rahul, aged 34, continues as wicketkeeper and vice-captain, bringing experience to the lower middle order. He is one of the best finishers in this side. Nitish Kumar Reddy replaces Hardik Pandya in the middle order, while Ravindra Jadeja returns to the ODI setup after an extended absence from the format. Reddy has improved his bowling considerably in recent times and would want to make a mark in the 50-over format. Meanwhile, Jadeja will have to perform well, as Axar Patel is waiting for his chance and Manav Suthar has also done well in the early stages of his international career, albeit in red-ball cricket.
bowlers: Gurnoor Brar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
The bowling attack features Gurnoor Brar, who is the quickest bowler in the setup. He has started his international career on an impressive note with 11 wickets from 6 ODIs. Kuldeep Yadav is expected to be the specialist spin bowler in the line-up, and this is his chance to show the world why he is rated so highly by experts and fans. Mohammed Siraj spearheads the pace attack in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, shouldering the responsibility of leading India’s fast-bowling unit. Prasidh Krishna completes the bowling lineup, bringing 50 wickets from 28 ODI games to the squad and adding depth to the pace attack.
India’s predicted playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Gurnoor Brar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
