India Playing XI vs West Indies: 1st ODI Selection Call

The Indian team is all set to face the West Indies in the first ODI in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, 2026. This series will see a rare coincidence, as two Indian teams will be in action during the same period.

Another Indian team will compete in the T20 format at the Asian Games, with players like Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Ishan Kishan part of that squad. Their absence has created a few vacant spots in India’s ODI team.

Therefore, it will be very interesting to see India’s playing XI for the first ODI against the West Indies in the absence of these key players.

India Playing XI vs West Indies: Top Order Looks Settled

At the top of the order, captain Shubman Gill and veteran Rohit Sharma are expected to open the innings.

Yashasvi Jaiswal is another quality opening option in the squad, but the Gill-Rohit combination remains the most likely choice for the series opener.

Virat Kohli should continue at his customary number three position. His presence will once again be important in controlling the middle overs and providing stability to the batting unit.

At number four, Ruturaj Gaikwad looks like a strong option. Gaikwad strengthened his case in ODI cricket with a brilliant 105 off 83 balls against South Africa in the second ODI in Raipur in December 2025.

Vice-captain KL Rahul should take the wicketkeeping gloves and bat at number five. Rahul’s ability to adjust his game according to the match situation gives India experience in the middle order.

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja Give India All-Round Balance

With Hardik Pandya not part of the ODI squad, Nitish Kumar Reddy is likely to get an opportunity at number six.

Interestingly, Reddy was initially part of India’s Asian Games squad but was later withdrawn from it to feature in the ODI series against the West Indies. BCCI

His ability to contribute with both bat and medium pace gives Gill an additional bowling option.

Ravindra Jadeja should follow him at number seven. The experienced all-rounder offers control with his left-arm spin, depth with the bat and excellent fielding.

His presence also adds a left-handed option to a batting line-up dominated by right-handers.

Gurnoor Brar vs Auqib Nabi: The Big Selection Call

The most interesting selection call could come between Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi.

Both pacers are part of India’s ODI squad, but they bring different qualities to the bowling attack.

Nabi has forced his way into the national setup after a superb domestic season. The Jammu and Kashmir pacer finished as the leading wicket-taker in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, claiming 60 wickets as J&K won their maiden title.

His ability to move the ball and contribute useful runs lower down the order makes him an interesting option, particularly if India want more batting depth.

Brar, meanwhile, offers a different challenge with his height, bounce and hit-the-deck style. On a surface where conventional movement is limited, that extra bounce could become useful through the middle overs.

Why Gurnoor Brar Could Get the Nod for the First ODI

India already have Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja to provide all-round options, which could allow the team management to pick a more specialist bowling attack.

That is where Brar could move slightly ahead in the race for the first ODI.

With Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna likely to lead the pace attack, Brar could provide another point of difference with his height and bounce. Kuldeep Yadav should remain India’s main wrist-spin option.

Nabi, however, is a serious contender and his outstanding domestic record makes him difficult to ignore. If India want additional batting depth or conditions favour seam movement, he could easily come into consideration.

For the series opener, though, the team could lean towards Brar if the priority is to strengthen the specialist pace attack.

Predicted India Playing XI vs West Indies for 1st ODI

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (vc & wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Gurnoor Brar, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj.