India will face the West Indies in the opening match of their three-match ODI series at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, September 27. Both teams will look to build momentum as part of their preparations for the ICC World Cup 2027 in Africa.
Shubman Gill will lead a strong Indian squad, with former India captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to the ODI setup. India will look to improve their inconsistent 2026 record after suffering bilateral series defeats against New Zealand and England.
The West Indies will enter the series looking to improve their recent ODI form. Shai Hope’s side has won only two of their six ODIs in 2026 and recently lost a five-match series 3-2 against New Zealand. The tour of India will be their final scheduled ODI assignment of the year.
India have dominated the recent ODI rivalry between the two teams. They have won nine of their last 10 ODIs against the West Indies, giving the Caribbean side a tough challenge in the series opener.
IND vs WI Match Preview & Recent Form
India, led by Shubman Gill, suffered a 2-1 ODI series defeat against England. Gill was India’s top scorer on the tour with 188 runs, while Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also scored 144 and 178 runs, respectively.
The Indian management has added several promising domestic players to the squad alongside the experienced internationals. Naman Dhir has received his maiden India call-up, while pace-bowling all-rounders Auqib Nabi and Nitish Kumar Reddy add depth to the seam-bowling department. Gurnoor Brar has also retained his place after strong performances against Afghanistan and England.
The West Indies have a mix of experienced players and promising young talent. Captain Shai Hope will anchor the top order, while Sherfane Rutherford will provide firepower in the middle and lower order. Rutherford is the only West Indies batter in the squad with recent IPL experience.
The West Indies also have a strong pace attack led by Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, and Jayden Seales. Their pace could test India’s top order, while young spinner Vitel Lawes enters the series with confidence after taking eight wickets in his debut ODI series against New Zealand.
IND vs WI Live Streaming, Live Telecast: Where to Watch 1st ODI?
JioStar has confirmed that India’s 2026-27 home season, including the ODI series against West Indies, will be available on JioHotstar and Star Sports.
Cricket fans in India can watch the India vs West Indies 1st ODI live on JioHotstar, while the match will also be televised on the Star Sports Network.
The first ODI will be played at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, with the match scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM IST.
IND vs WI Pitch Report: How Will Greenfield International Stadium Play?
The Greenfield International Stadium has hosted only two ODIs, with teams winning one match each while batting first and while chasing. The venue has an average first-innings score of 247, while the highest ODI total is India’s 390/5 against Sri Lanka.
The pitch can offer some assistance to seamers early in the innings, but batters who settle in can score freely once the conditions become easier. The relatively limited ODI sample at the venue makes it difficult to label the surface as strongly spin-friendly, so both teams will need to assess the conditions quickly.
Captains winning the toss may still consider the venue record, but the decision will depend largely on the pitch and overhead conditions on match day.
Greenfield International Stadium ODI Stats
Total Matches: 2
Won Batting First: 1
Won Bowling First: 1
Average 1st Innings Score: 247
Average 2nd Innings Score: 89
Highest Team Total: 390/5 (India vs Sri Lanka)
Lowest Team Total: 73 (Sri Lanka vs India)
Highest Score Chased: 105/1 (India vs West Indies)
Lowest Score Defended: 390/5 (India vs Sri Lanka)
Highest Individual Score: 166* (Virat Kohli, India vs Sri Lanka, 2023)
Best Bowling Figures: 4/18 (Ravindra Jadeja, India vs West Indies, 2018)
IND vs WI Weather Forecast & Rain Threat at Greenfield International Stadium
Thiruvananthapuram is expected to remain warm, humid, and partly cloudy during the India vs West Indies 1st ODI. With the match scheduled to start at 2:00 PM IST, players could face challenging conditions during the afternoon.
Cloudy skies may provide some assistance to the seamers early in the innings. However, the latest forecast does not indicate a major threat of prolonged rain.
IND vs WI Team News & Injury Updates
India will be without Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, and Axar Patel, who are part of the Indian contingent at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. Bumrah will miss the three-match ODI series against the West Indies.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the ODI setup, with Shubman Gill leading the side and KL Rahul serving as vice-captain. Ravindra Jadeja also returns to the format, while Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Dhruv Jurel provide additional options.
The selectors have also handed maiden ODI call-ups to Naman Dhir and Auqib Nabi. Nitish Kumar Reddy, initially selected for the Asian Games, has been moved into the ODI squad after Varun Chakaravarthy was ruled out of the Asian Games with a side strain.
The West Indies have included several young players alongside their experienced campaigners. John Campbell returns to the ODI squad, while Jewel Andrew and Matthew Forde are among the younger players expected to provide depth.
IND vs WI Predicted Playing 11 Today
India Predicted Playing XI:
Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.
West Indies Predicted Playing XI:
Shai Hope (c & wk), John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Jewel Andrew, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Alzarri Joseph.
IND vs WI Key Player Battles to Watch
Rohit Sharma vs Alzarri Joseph:
Rohit Sharma will look to make an aggressive start in the powerplay, while Alzarri Joseph can challenge him with pace and bounce. The battle between Rohit's pull shot and Joseph's short-pitched deliveries could be crucial in the opening overs.
Virat Kohli vs Gudakesh Motie:
Virat Kohli will be one of India’s key batters against spin in the middle overs. Gudakesh Motie will look to vary his pace and flight while preventing Kohli from rotating the strike and building a big innings.
Shai Hope vs Kuldeep Yadav:
Shai Hope is a key player in the West Indies’ batting, particularly during the middle overs. Kuldeep Yadav’s variations, including his wrong’un, could test Hope, who will need to read the ball carefully out of the bowler’s hand.
IND vs WI Key Players to Watch
India: Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav
West Indies: Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Sherfane Rutherford
Also read: India’s Asian Games squad: 2 RCB, 1 KKR pacer added after late calls
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