For millions of fans worldwide, the wait to see Indian cricket icons Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli is nearly at an end. Just a couple of months after their most recent international match the third ODI against England at Lord’s on July 19 the legendary pair are scheduled to return to the cricket field for the opening game of the three-match series against West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
Virat Kohli has reached India in advance of the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies, with the first game set for September 27 at Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. Both Kohli and Rohit Sharma were anticipated to join the Indian squad in Kerala on September 23 as the team gathered ahead of the first match in the series.
KL Rahul, India’s vice-captain and assuming the role since Shreyas Iyer is leading the T20I team for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, has been training at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in his hometown, Bengaluru, to ready himself for the upcoming series. He is aiming to earn a spot as India’s preferred wicketkeeper for the ICC ODI World Cup 2027, which is scheduled for next year.
Shubman Gill has been appointed captain of India’s team for the series, with KL Rahul as vice-captain. Auqib Nabi and Naman Dhir have been given their first-ever call-ups to the ODI squad for this series, bringing new talent to an otherwise seasoned group. Their selections demonstrate the selectors’ aim to evaluate emerging talents alongside seasoned players as India prepare their squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Kohli and Rohit’s comeback after being absent for two months adds significant depth and experience to the batting lineup. Both players will be eager to regain their rhythm in the 50-over format, after having been away from ODI cricket for an extended time prior to this series.
India squad for West Indies ODIs 2026:
Shubman Gill ( captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul ( vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Aqib Nabi, and Naman Dhir.
