Rohit Sharma announced plans for 2027, noting that his cricket career is not over

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.

Following the conclusion of the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan, the India team's schedule will continue in 2026. According to the current BCCI schedule, after the matches with Afghanistan, the Indian team will play games against Japan, then participate in the Asian Games, and subsequently play against the West Indies, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka.

The Indian team achieved a clean triumph in the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan, with all three encounters held at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The next target for the Indian squad is Japan, where a historic T20 International match is scheduled for September 22.

The match between India and Japan will be the first in the history of men's international cricket and will take place at the Sano International Cricket Stadium in Japan. This match will be held to commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.

Subsequently, the Indian team will participate in the 2026 Asian Games. The men's cricket discipline will be held in Japan from September 24 to October 3, and India has automatically qualified for the quarterfinals. The team's first match is scheduled for September 28.

During the Asian Games, India's domestic international season will begin. The team will play in a three-match ODI series against the West Indies, starting on September 27. This will be followed by five T20 Internationals, which will take place from October 6 to October 17.

Immediately after the series with the West Indies, the Indian team will embark on a tour to New Zealand, which is scheduled approximately four years later. Five T20 matches and five ODI Internationals are planned there in October-November. Additionally, two Test matches will be played between the two countries. This series is of great importance for India's campaign in the Test Cricket World Cup.

At the end of the year, India will play a series of matches against Sri Lanka, including three ODIs and three T20 Internationals. Thus, the India team's schedule remains very busy into December.

According to the schedule, there are only 28 matches ahead. These matches include: a game against Japan (T20 on September 22), the first match at the Asian Games (September 28), the series against the West Indies (3 ODIs + 5 T20s), the tour to New Zealand (2 Tests + 5 T20s + 5 ODIs), and the series against Sri Lanka (3 ODIs + 3 T20s).

Details of the West Indies visit to India (September-October 2026): the first ODI is scheduled for September 27, 2026, in Tiruvannamalai, the second ODI is on September 30, 2026, in Guwahati, and the third ODI is on October 3, 2026, in Chandigarh. The T20 series will start on October 6, 2026, in Lucknow, with subsequent matches on October 9 in Ranchi, October 11 in Indore, October 14 in Hyderabad, and October 17 in Bangalore.

Schedule of India's tour to New Zealand (October-December 2026): the first two T20s are scheduled for October 22 and 24 in Christchurch, the third T20 is on October 27 in Wellington, the fourth T20 is on October 30 in Auckland, and the fifth T20 is on November 1 in Hamilton. The ODI series will take place on November 4, 2026, at Eden Park, Auckland, November 7 in Wellington, November 10 at Seddon Park, Hamilton, November 13 at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, and November 15 at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. The Test matches will be held from November 19–23 in Wellington and November 27–December 1 in Christchurch.

India's visit to Sri Lanka (December 2026): three ODIs are scheduled for December 13, 2026, in Delhi, December 16 in Bangalore, and December 19 in Ahmedabad. The T20 series will take place on December 22, 2026, in Rajkot, December 24 in Katak, and December 27 in Pune.

Today will see the announcement of the Indian team squad for the three-match ODI series and five T20 matches against the West Indies. During the selection committee meeting, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup will also be discussed.

The series, starting on September 27th, will take place in Trivandrum, Guwahati, and New Chandigarh. The selectors face a difficult task this time, as many key players are part of the squad selected for the Asian Games, while some athletes are battling injuries. This makes forming the ODI squad a complex process.

Special attention will be paid to decisions concerning Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja. Stay tuned for our updates to find out what the Indian team lineup against the West Indies will be.

Rohit Sharma has expressed his desire to participate in the 2027 ODI World Cup, and his selection for the series against the West Indies will provide important signals regarding future plans. Similarly, Virat Kohli's fate is under close scrutiny, as the future of these two experienced batsmen is a crucial issue in the context of preparation for the next global tournament.

Previously, Rohit was entrusted with leading the ODI team in October 2025, after which he was replaced by Shubman Gill. Nevertheless, Rohit has not announced his retirement from ODIs and remains available.

His form was discussed following the Cardiff ODI in the England tour, where he scored 26 runs, and after matches against Afghanistan with scores of 16, 48, and 79. However, his previous ODI match at Lord's ended in a century. The main question now is whether the selection committee will include him and Virat Kohli in the squad against the West Indies.

Hardik Pandya's situation is one of the most critical issues for the selection committee. He has not participated in competitive matches since IPL 2026. In June, he was selected for the ODI series against Afghanistan but was dropped before the series due to a leg injury.

He also failed to play in four matches for Mumbai Indians during IPL 2026. Following this, he focused on recovery and conditioning at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence. Currently, Hardik is included in the India A squad for the ODI series against Australia A, but his participation depends on clearing a medical examination. These matches will take place on October 6th, 9th, and 11th in Puducherry, i.e., after the series against the West Indies.

Thus, today's question is whether the selection committee will give Hardik a chance in the series against the West Indies, or if his return will be postponed. His ability to bowl in the 50-over format could be extremely valuable to the team's composition.

If Hardik cannot participate, the selection committee will have to consider options for a quick all-rounder. Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akshar Patel, Shivam Dube, and Washington Sundar are part of the Asian Games squad. Harsh Dube is injured. In that case, Ravindra Jadeja's name might reappear. Jadeja has not been a regular part of the ODI squad recently; he has not played in this format since January 2026. Krunal Pandya is also an option, as he played a key role in RCB's victory in the last two IPL seasons. However, his inclusion in the team will depend on the selection committee's decision.

Rishabh Pant's return could also be a major event at this selection committee meeting. Pant has not played ODI cricket for India for a long time. While Ishan Kishan is part of the squad selected for the Asian Games, Pant may have strong claims for the wicketkeeper reserve spot. Kyle Rahul is ready to play as a wicketkeeper, and his role in the team will remain important. If Pant is selected, he could also offer options in the middle order besides wicketkeeping duties. Dhruv Jurel's name is also being discussed. He has not yet debuted in ODI for India, but his performances in Test matches have attracted the attention of the selection committee. Thus, the battle for the wicketkeeper position is not limited to gloves; the option of a batsman in the team will also be considered.

The limited availability of players due to the Asian Games and injuries might make Ravindra Jadeja's experience useful for the team. However, there are also young alternatives alongside him. Manav Chatur, Vipraj Nigam, and other spin-all-rounders might be on the selection committee's radar.

The pair Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal might generate the most interest in the spin department. Kuldeep performed well in university cricket for Yorkshire in England. Chahal showed impact in the ODI Cup for Northamptonshire. Following such performances, talks about his return have intensified. Chahal has not played for India since August 2023. If he is selected, and Kuldeep is also chosen, they might see both together in the ODI team after a long break.

However, the Asian Games factor is also involved here. Varun Chakravarthy's health status is being monitored. If there is a change in the spin department, Kuldeep's availability situation might also change.

The first ODI against the West Indies will take place on September 27th.