India and West Indies will clash at Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, on Sunday, September 27, 2026, in the first of three ODIs. This match opens India’s 2026‑27 home international season, with the remaining fixtures scheduled for Guwahati on September 30 and New Chandigarh on October 3.
Shubman Gill captains India, with KL Rahul as his deputy, while Shai Hope leads the West Indies. Both teams view the series as an opportunity to assess World Cup preparations—India ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup and the Caribbean side continuing its qualification pathway.
Shai Hope
A right‑handed batsman, Hope has accumulated 6,312 runs from 154 ODIs at an average of 49.70 and a strike rate of 79.85. At 32, he also captains the West Indies. In recent ODI form he scored 361 runs from ten matches, averaging 51.57 with a strike rate of 95.5, often batting deep to provide flexibility for the chase‑and‑attack lineup.
Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma, now 39, focuses exclusively on ODI cricket and arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on September 24, 2026, ahead of the series opener. After speculation about his retirement following a low‑scoring ODI series against England in July, he re‑asserted his credentials with a century at Lord’s in the third match. As a specialist one‑day player, these games are vital for maintaining match rhythm ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Virat Kohli
Returning to ODI action after a two‑month hiatus, Kohli’s performance is seen as a crucial indicator of India’s World Cup readiness. In six ODIs this year he has amassed 384 runs at an average of 64 with a strike rate of 106.66, including three fifties and a century. Against the West Indies he holds a prolific record—2,261 runs from 41 innings at an average of 66.50 and a strike rate of 96.95, complemented by nine centuries and eleven fifties.
