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1st ODI | India vs West Indies 2026 | Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram | 27 Sept 2026
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shai Hope carry the biggest bats into Sunday’s opener, while Ravindra Jadeja’s return and two maiden call-ups add fresh intrigue. Naman Dhir and Auqib Nabi both arrive with domestic numbers that demand attention. India lost their last series in England, and the visitors dropped a five-match contest in New Zealand, so both camps need a fast start in Thiruvananthapuram. Here is who matters most on Sunday, and why the numbers back each pick.
India’s top three arrive in good touch despite July’s 1-2 loss in England. Rohit Sharma made 188 runs in three matches at 62.66 and a strike rate of 100.55, including a 34th ODI hundred at Lord’s that still came in defeat.
Kohli’s 74 in that game was his 133rd score of fifty or more, and he was Player of the Series against South Africa late in 2025 with 302 runs. Gill, now captain, added 80 and 77. If two fire on Sunday, the middle order can relax.
The form gap is plain once the squads sit side by side. The hosts carry fresher runs, while three touring quicks have barely bowled 50-over cricket lately.
| Player | Team | Recent Form | Key Stat |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 138 at Lord’s (Jul 2026); 188 runs/3 ODIs, avg 62.66 | 34th ODI century |
| Virat Kohli | India | 74 at Lord’s (Jul 2026); 302 runs in SA series (Nov-Dec 2025) | 133rd score of 50+ |
| Shubman Gill | India | 80 & 77 vs England (Jul 2026); captain | ODI captain since 2026 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | India | Returning after 8-month ODI absence (last: 18 Jan 2026) | 232 career ODI wickets |
| Naman Dhir | India | 351 List A runs (14 inns, avg 39.00); maiden call-up | 318 IPL 2026 runs, SR 147.22 |
| Auqib Nabi | India | 4-wicket haul for Surrey (Sept 2026); maiden call-up | 56 List A wickets, avg 27.37 |
| Shai Hope | West Indies | 361 runs in last 10 ODIs, avg 51.57 | Captain; 6,312 career runs |
| Alzarri Joseph | West Indies | Last ODI 16 Jul 2026 v NZ | 138 career ODI wickets |
| Jayden Seales | West Indies | Last ODI 22 Nov 2025 v NZ | 29 career ODI matches |
| Shamar Joseph | West Indies | Last ODI 12 Aug 2025 v Pakistan | 4 wickets in 6 career ODIs |
Jadeja’s return matters too. His last ODI came on 18 January 2026 in Indore, where he made 12 off 16 balls against New Zealand. He brings 232 wickets and 2,905 runs from 210 matches, averaging 32.27 with the bat and 36.54 with the ball.
Naman Dhir has 351 List A runs from 14 innings at 39.00, striking at 106.36, plus seven wickets. His IPL 2026 season for Mumbai Indians returned 318 runs at 147.22, and he smashed 655 runs in 10 Sher-e-Punjab T20 games at 217.61. The XI is not named yet, but that hitting is hard to ignore.
Auqib Nabi brings 56 List A wickets at 27.37, a best of 4/39 and a recent four-wicket haul for Surrey against Glamorgan. His unbeaten 114 off 82 balls against Hyderabad in the Vijay Hazare Trophy shows he can bat too.
Shai Hope is the wicket India wants most. The captain owns 6,312 runs from 154 ODIs at 49.70, and his last 10 ODIs brought 361 runs at 51.57 with a strike rate of 95.5.
The bowling raises doubts. Alzarri Joseph has 138 wickets from 86 ODIs at 27.89, but Jayden Seales has not played the format since November 2025, and Shamar Joseph has four wickets in six matches at 67.50. That is thin preparation for facing Rohit and Kohli.
Neither side arrives with momentum. Hope’s team won their July opener in New Zealand by seven wickets, then lost three straight as Jayden Lennox took 5/19 and 4/52 and Mitchell Santner grabbed 5/47, with the series going 3-2 to the hosts.
India beat England by six wickets behind Axar Patel’s 57 not out and 4/62, then lost by four wickets and 27 runs. Ben Duckett’s 141 decided that finale. Form points one way. Any shortlist of India vs West Indies ODI Series key players starts with Rohit and Hope, but Dhir or Nabi could steal Sunday if handed a cap.
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Why is Jasprit Bumrah not playing against West Indies?
Bumrah is with India’s Asian Games squad in Japan. He, Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan are part of that campaign, which runs from September 24 to October 3, 2026, clashing with the three ODIs.
Will Naman Dhir make his ODI debut against West Indies?
Not yet, because the playing XI has not been announced. Dhir earned a maiden call-up after scoring 351 List A runs at 39.00, and 318 IPL 2026 runs at a strike rate of 147.22.
Who is Auqib Nabi?
Auqib Nabi is a 29-year-old right-arm medium pacer from Jammu and Kashmir. He has 164 first-class wickets with a best of 7/24, and he was once named as Bumrah’s replacement in the Sri Lanka Test squad without debuting.
Who is the West Indies captain for the ODIs in India?
Shai Hope captains the West Indies. He has led their ODI and T20I sides since 2023 and arrives in form, with 361 runs in his last 10 ODIs at an average of 51.57.
When and where is the India vs West Indies 1st ODI?
The 1st ODI is on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. Play starts at 2:00 PM IST, with both teams coming off series defeats in July.
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