For the West Indies, the upcoming three-match series in one-day format against India is not just another bilateral tournament. The head coach of the team, Daren Sammy, views this visit as a serious test for the squad ahead of the One Day World Cup qualifiers next year. Furthermore, the team aims to end the 24-year period without victories in bilateral series in India.
The first match of the series is scheduled for Sunday, the 27th, and will take place in Thiruvananthapuram. Before the game, Sammy emphasized that playing in India will give the team an opportunity to assess its standing in the ODI format. The West Indies have not won any bilateral series in India for the past twenty-four years. Sammy noted that the team has a great chance to demonstrate itself and defeat India.
The West Indies could not directly qualify for the top-8 teams in the 2027 ODI World Cup, as only they and South Africa guarantee themselves a spot. Currently, the West Indies are ranked tenth. Even a confident victory over India does not guarantee them a change in their current position. Consequently, the team will have to fight for a spot in the tournament through qualifiers for the third consecutive time.
In Sammy's opinion, to succeed in a major international tournament, especially in the baseball format, it is crucial to win against India. He believes that a loss to the Indian team on home soil will give the West Indies an idea of how competitive they can be on the world stage. Sammy named the February qualifier as the team's main priority, and the series against India will serve as an opportunity for continuous improvement and squad preparation, which will help secure a spot in the qualification, perhaps via South Africa.
Sammy also sees positive trends in the team's development. He stated that success is no longer dependent on one or two players, but various athletes contribute to victories. Although he admitted that the West Indies did not receive an automatic invitation, the team has significantly improved its situation compared to the previous period. Previously, the team lagged by 19-20 points, and now it is only six points away from automatic qualification, which, according to Sammy, indicates progress.
Key contributors to the team include Shy Hope, as well as Amir Jangu, who scored one hundred runs, and Sherfen Radford, whose performance was noted. Sammy mentioned that the team was looking for this form in the 2024-25 season. Alzari Joseph also returned to good bowling form, helping recently win the CPL Antig title. This is why Sammy plans to give every player a chance in the three matches against India.
The coach also highly praised the performance of 19-year-old left-arm spinner Vitil Lodge. He debuted in an ODI against New Zealand in July and took eight wickets in five matches. Sammy called Vitil a discovery for the West Indies. According to him, the decision to debut against New Zealand was part of a pre-planned strategy. Sammy had long expressed the need for a wrist spinner in the squad, and Vitil influenced the bowling unit immediately after his appearance. Nevertheless, Sammy understands that Vitil still has a long way to go in his development. The team will continue to work on his development, providing him with special training alongside matches. During the tour, he interacted well with Nikita Miller and Ravi Rampal. Sammy noted that Vitil was promoted slightly faster than planned, but his results are currently pleasing the team.
First ODI: September 27, 2026, in Thiruvananthapuram.
Second ODI: September 30, 2026, in Guwahati.
Third ODI: October 3, 2026, in Chandigarh.
First T20: October 6, 2026, in Lucknow.
Second T20: October 9, 2026, in Ranchi.
Third T20: October 11, 2026, in Indore.
Fourth T20: October 14, 2026, in Hyderabad.
Fifth T20: October 17, 2026, in Bangalore.