India host West Indies in the first of three ODIs at Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, 2026.
India and West Indies meet at Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, on Sunday, September 27, 2026, for the first of three ODIs. This is the opening match of India's 2026-27 international home season, with the remaining two games scheduled in Guwahati on September 30 and New Chandigarh on October 3.
Shubman Gill leads India with KL Rahul as vice-captain, while Shai Hope captains West Indies. Both sides have World Cup-related goals riding on this series, with India assessing their squad depth ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup and West Indies working through their qualification preparations.
3. Shai Hope
Shai Hope is a right-handed batter who has played 154 ODIs, accumulating 6,312 runs at an average of 49.70 and a strike rate of 79.85. The 32-year-old also captains the West Indies side in this series.
Hope's recent ODI form across 10 matches: 361 runs at an average of 51.57 and a strike rate of 95.5. His ability to bat deep into an innings creates space for West Indies' power hitters to play freely, making him a central figure in how the visitors set or chase totals.
2. Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma, now 39, plays only ODI cricket at the international level. He arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on September 24, 2026, ahead of the series opener.
Obviously, the spotlight is going to be on the former India captain. Reports emerged about his retirement after two low scores in India's previous ODI series against England in July. However, he silenced his critics by slamming a phenomenal century at Lord's in the third ODI. For someone who plays only one format in international cricket now, these games are going to be of great importance as the 39-year-old looks to stay in the groove heading into next year's 50-over World Cup.
1. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is the third player to watch in this series opener. Like Rohit, Kohli has been absent from ODI cricket for more than two months and returns to action at Thiruvananthapuram. Kohli's involvement in this series is significant given India's broader 2027 ODI World Cup preparations. His ODI record and experience make him one of the most closely watched batters whenever he takes the field, and the home conditions at Greenfield International Stadium will provide an early indicator of his current form heading into the home season.
He has been in sensational form this year, having amassed 384 runs in six ODI innings at an average of 64 and a strike rate of 106.66. He has already notched up three fifties and one century. As far as his ODI record against the West Indies is concerned, Kohli has scored 2,261 runs from 41 innings at an average of 66.50 and a strike rate of 96.95. His conversion rate is impeccable, as the former India captain has nine centuries and 11 fifties against the Caribbean side.