3 major concerns for India ahead of West Indies ODIs

India are set to play three ODIs against West Indies starting September 27, 2026, but the build-up to the series has raised several questions about the composition and readiness of the squad. With the Asian Games in Japan running from September 24 to October 3, 2026, the scheduling overlap has directly affected which players are available for selection.

Shubman Gill has been named ODI captain for the series, with KL Rahul as vice-captain. Several prominent names are absent, and a handful of uncapped players have received their maiden call-ups.

Here are top 3 challenges India may face in West Indies ODIs:

3. Unavailability of key players due to Asian Games overlap

The Asian Games in Japan overlap entirely with all three West Indies ODIs, and that has had a direct impact on India's available pool. Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are all committed to the Asian Games and are therefore absent from the ODI squad. Both Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are key spin-bowling all-rounders, and their simultaneous absence leaves a noticeable gap in that department.

Varun Chakravarthy was also ruled out of the Asian Games squad due to a side strain, with Vipraj Nigam named as his replacement. Nitish Kumar Reddy was originally named in the Asian Games squad but was redirected to the ODI series. Auqib Nabi, a fast bowler from Jammu and Kashmir, and Naman Dhir, an all-rounder from Punjab, have both received maiden ODI call-ups to help fill the gaps. Nabi was part of India's Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka in August 2026 but did not make his debut at that stage.