Before the Asian Games semi-final, Sanju Samson stated the team's readiness for unknown conditions in Nagoya

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.

The approach of the strong cyclone 'Dozuan', raging in eastern territories of Japan, has created serious obstacles for the upcoming historic match between the Indian and Japanese national teams. Due to adverse weather conditions and heavy rains, the Indian team, led by Shreyas Iyer, was unable to conduct its final pre-match training session.

Cyclone 'Dozuan' has been strongly affecting Japan for the last two days. Strong winds and torrential rains have completely disrupted daily life. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned that the storm is passing near the Tokyo metropolitan area, which could worsen the situation.

As a result of this storm, at least 275 flights were canceled in Japan, and numerous railway services in Tokyo and surrounding areas were suspended. Furthermore, the major video game exhibition 'Tokyo Game Show' was closed early, and equestrian competitions within the Asian Games were postponed until Tuesday as a precaution.

The match between the two countries is scheduled for Tuesday at the Sano International Cricket Stadium, located approximately 100 kilometers from Tokyo. This game holds great significance in the context of celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, as well as in preparation for the upcoming Asian Games and the Suzuki Cup.

However, due to the storm, the Indian team had to remain off the field, depriving players of their last chance to familiarize themselves with local conditions and pitch characteristics. Before the match, captain Shreyas Iyer highly praised the hospitality of the Japanese people and the general atmosphere, noting that the people are very responsive and kind. Nevertheless, he admitted that the lack of information about local conditions and pitch status could be an issue but assured that the team is fully prepared for this confrontation.

Despite the fact that on paper the T20 World Champion India looks stronger than Japan, which lags significantly in the rankings, all attention is currently focused on the weather conditions.

The fast bowler of the Indian team, Akash Deep, shared the story of his first day with the national squad when he was among such big players as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He recounted this during the 'Kheloge Kuduge Bangone Navab' session at the Panchayat Aajtak event held in Patna.

Akash Deep narrated that at that moment, he felt such intense fear that he thought he might have a heart attack, because there is a rule requiring a new player to give a speech upon their first inclusion in the team.

He noted that values such as respect for elders, discipline, and touching the feet of seniors were deeply ingrained in his native village. Even when he played for the regional team for the first time, there were former Indian players present, but they had already retired. However, when he was selected for the Indian national team, he found himself facing names like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Rahul Dravid.

Deep mentioned that due to the completely different atmosphere, he couldn't even touch the feet of these great athletes. According to the rules, a new player must say something about themselves upon joining the squad. At that time, Rahul Dravid asked him only one question: how was his journey up to that point and what did he feel. Akash Deep replied that the feeling was impossible to describe in words because it was a pure emotion.

He also mentioned that he was born in a village where playing cricket was considered almost a crime, and today, thanks to this sport, he receives such respect in his country. Akash Deep added that every time he sees great players and big teams, his confidence does not decrease; on the contrary, it increases. He emphasized that since childhood, he possessed this trait that made him strong in any difficult situation and motivated him to perform his best on big stages.