India vs West Indies ODI Squad: Pant, Pandya and Jadeja in Focus
Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja are among the key names in focus as India prepares to select its ODI squad for the West Indies series.
India’s ODI squad for the upcoming West Indies series is set to be discussed by the selectors, with Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya among the key names in focus. The three-match ODI series begins on September 27 in Thiruvananthapuram, followed by five T20Is from October 6.
Pant’s potential return is one of the major talking points. He last played an ODI for India in August 2024 against Sri Lanka and has been away from the format since then. With KL Rahul expected to remain India’s primary wicketkeeper, the selectors could consider Pant as another option.
Pandya’s fitness is another important factor for the squad balance. He has been included in India A’s ODI squad for the series against Australia A, subject to fitness, which could provide an indication of his readiness to bowl and handle the demands of 50-over cricket. India have limited seam-bowling all-rounder options with Nitish Kumar Reddy involved in the Asian Games and other players unavailable due to injuries.
Ravindra Jadeja could also return to the ODI setup after missing the England series. His experience with both bat and ball could strengthen India’s spin resources, particularly with Axar Patel involved at the Asian Games.
The selectors will also have to manage their spin options, with Kuldeep Yadav’s possible Asian Games involvement and concerns surrounding Varun Chakravarthy’s fitness. Younger options such as Vipraj Nigam, Zeeshan Ansari and Manav Suthar could be considered.
Rohit Sharma’s place in India’s ODI plans will also remain under attention as the team looks ahead to the 2027 World Cup.
