John Campbell is back. The experienced opener returns to the West Indies lineup after a hamstring injury kept him out of the last two ODIs against New Zealand. His return is vital for a side that needs stability at the top before facing the world’s best.
But the bigger story is Kamil Pooran. The right-hander has earned his maiden T20I call-up after a blistering form, smashing 273 runs in eight recent innings at a strike rate of 159.64. His average of 39 shows he isn't just hitting boundaries; he’s building meaningful innings. This is a clear signal from head coach Daren Sammy that the team is willing to take risks with young talent.
The ODI squad, led by captain Shai Hope, also includes young batter Jewel Andrew, who replaces Ackeem Auguste (recovering from surgery). Notably, Shimron Hetmyer is left out of the ODI camp to finish his recovery post-CPL, but he will return for the T20I series. Jason Holder, the veteran all-rounder, has been rested entirely to manage workloads.
The stakes are high. The first two ODIs conclude the automatic qualification phase for the 2027 ICC Men's ODI World Cup. West Indies have already missed out on direct entry and must fight in a qualification tournament next year. Sammy sees this India tour as a chance to "fine tune" the ODI unit.
For the T20Is, the focus is building a core for the next T20 World Cup. The squad features Hope, Roston Chase, Hetmyer, and Quentin Sampson, who was in the earlier T20 World Cup squad. The Windies leave the Caribbean on September 21, reaching Thiruvananthapuram on September 23, ready to kick off the ODI series in eight cities from September 27 to October 17.