India’s next white-ball assignment comes into focus

For readers looking for cricket news on 24 September, the immediate India story is preparation rather than a completed match. The Shubman Gill-led ODI squad was due to assemble in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday ahead of a three-match home series against West Indies. A Times of India report published and updated on 23 September said some players would arrive on Wednesday night and the rest would link up a day later. West Indies had already reached the city, according to an ANI report from Wednesday morning.[1] [3]

The first ODI is scheduled for Sunday, 27 September, at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, with a 2pm IST start listed by BCCI. That makes the current update a short pre-series window, not a playing-XI announcement or a result. ESPNcricinfo’s match page continued to describe the fixture as upcoming when checked for this article.[2] [5]

It is a meaningful handover point for an Indian side managing different white-ball commitments at once. The men’s Asian Games competition has begun in Japan, but India’s senior men enter that event only at the quarter-final stage. The ODI group preparing in Kerala is therefore not a live-score extension of the Asian Games side; it is the group selected for a separate bilateral series at home.[2] [6]

Cricket news: who is in India’s ODI squad?

BCCI’s 16 September release names Gill as captain and KL Rahul as vice-captain. The complete ODI squad is Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Naman Dhir.[2] The list establishes selection, not the batting order, wicketkeeper, bowling combination or final XI for the opener.

The inclusions give the series a clear mix of established international experience and options who could be competing for a role. Rohit, Kohli and Jadeja are named alongside Gill and Rahul, while Jurel provides another wicketkeeping option. The attack contains left-arm wrist-spin through Kuldeep, seam options including Siraj and Prasidh, and further pace resources in Gurnoor and Auqib Nabi. Those labels are descriptions of the selected group, not a prediction of how India will line up.[2] [5]

The newest practical development is the assembly itself, rather than a fresh squad alteration. This distinction matters in a busy news cycle: the official squad was announced on 16 September, whereas the report that the players were due to gather in Thiruvananthapuram was published on 23 September. Any late fitness update, replacement or playing-XI decision should be checked against BCCI or the official match centre after it is announced.[1] [2]

Why the ODI group is separate from India’s Asian Games team

India have selected a different squad for the Asian Games men’s T20 competition, led by Shreyas Iyer and including players such as Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh. The International Cricket Council says India received a first-round bye and will play the Group A runner-up in a quarter-final on 28 September. The tournament’s preliminary matches began on 24 September, but India do not have a group-stage fixture that day.[6]

Nitish Kumar Reddy is the key link between the two selection conversations. BCCI said he was originally in the Asian Games squad but had been withdrawn to feature in the West Indies ODI series. The same release said Varun Chakaravarthy was ruled out of the Japan T20I and Asian Games because of a side strain, with Vipraj Nigam named as his replacement.[2] That is why an older team list may not match the final Asian Games group.

Keeping the teams distinct avoids two easy errors. First, an Asian Games result or score should not be presented as an ODI-series result. Second, the absence of an Asian Games player from the West Indies ODI list is not, by itself, evidence of a fresh omission: the squads have different formats, schedules and selection purposes. The reliable current record remains the relevant BCCI release and the official competition or match page.[2] [5] [6]

West Indies arrive with a settled ODI core

Shai Hope will captain West Indies’ 15-player ODI squad. Cricket West Indies lists Jewel Andrew, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Vitel Lawes, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford and Jayden Seales alongside Hope.[4] The board said the party left the Caribbean on 21 September and arrived in Trivandrum on 23 September; ANI separately reported the team’s arrival at Thiruvananthapuram airport.[3] [4]

There are concrete availability notes behind that list. Cricket West Indies said Campbell returns after missing the final two New Zealand ODIs because of a hamstring injury. Jewel Andrew replaces Ackeem Auguste, who continues rehabilitation following surgery in August. Shimron Hetmyer is not in the ODI group; the board said he would join the touring party for the later T20Is after an extended recovery period following the Caribbean Premier League.[4]

The series also has a wider qualification backdrop for the visitors. Cricket West Indies said its first two matches in India close the cycle for automatic qualification for the 2027 Men’s 50-over World Cup, but that West Indies cannot move above their nearest challengers in the relevant standings regardless of these results and will enter the qualifying tournament early next year. That is the board’s stated context, not a judgement on the likely outcome of the three ODIs.[4]

Fixtures, match state and what can change

BCCI schedules the second ODI in Guwahati on 30 September and the third in New Chandigarh on 3 October, both at 2pm IST. The teams then move to T20Is in Lucknow, Ranchi, Indore, Hyderabad and Bengaluru from 6 to 17 October.[2] Cricket West Indies’ published itinerary confirms the same sequence of cities and dates, providing a useful cross-check between the two boards.[4]

For the opener, the only responsible match label at publication is upcoming. No toss has taken place, no playing XI has been officially named and no score exists. The scheduled 2pm start from BCCI and the 8:30am listing on ESPNcricinfo describe the same daylight-to-evening match in Indian time; the difference reflects how platforms display start times, not two fixtures.[2] [5] Readers should use the official match centre for a live score once play begins.

The useful cricket news takeaway is therefore specific: India are moving from squad selection into a home-series assembly, while West Indies are already in the host city. Gill and Rahul have formal leadership roles in the ODI squad, and the three-match series begins on 27 September. Selection, arrival and fixture details are verified, but form, combinations and results remain to be decided on the field. Anna News will treat any confirmed late change as a separate update rather than infer it from speculation.

Questions readers ask

When is the first India vs West Indies ODI in 2026?

The first ODI is scheduled for 27 September 2026 at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. BCCI lists a 2pm IST start; the match was still upcoming when this article was published.[2] [5]

Who is India’s ODI captain against West Indies?

Shubman Gill is India’s ODI captain and KL Rahul is vice-captain for the West Indies series, according to BCCI’s 16 September squad announcement.[2]

Are Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in India’s ODI squad?

Yes. Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are among the 15 players named by BCCI for the three-match ODI series against West Indies.[2]

Why is Nitish Kumar Reddy not in India’s Asian Games squad?

BCCI said Nitish Kumar Reddy, originally selected for the Asian Games, was withdrawn so that he could feature in the ODI series against West Indies.[2]

Who captains West Indies in the ODI series in India?

Shai Hope captains West Indies’ ODI squad for the India tour. Cricket West Indies confirmed the 15-player group and said the team arrived in Trivandrum on 23 September.[4]

Sources

  1. India ODI squad to assemble in Thiruvananthapuram by September 24 — The Times of India. Accessed 2026-09-24.
  2. India’s squad for home series against West Indies and ROI squad for Irani Cup announced — Board of Control for Cricket in India. Accessed 2026-09-24.
  3. West Indies team arrive in Thiruvananthapuram for first ODI against India on September 27 — ANI. Accessed 2026-09-24.
  4. Cricket West Indies Announces Limited Overs Squads for the Tour of India — Cricket West Indies. Accessed 2026-09-24.
  5. India vs West Indies, 1st ODI at Thiruvananthapuram — squads — ESPNcricinfo. Accessed 2026-09-24.
  6. Asian Games Cricket: All You Need to Know — International Cricket Council. Accessed 2026-09-24.

Anna News Desk reviewed the official BCCI and Cricket West Indies releases, ICC competition guidance, ESPNcricinfo’s upcoming match page and reputable reporting from The Times of India and ANI on 24 September 2026. The squad assembly and arrival are pre-match updates; final XIs, fitness status and live scores can change after publication.