Sammy unveils West Indies squads for India tour with long-term plan

Cricket West Indies has assembled a blend of established performers and emerging talent for an eight-match white-ball tour of India, with the three-match ODI series carrying immediate World Cup qualification significance and the five-match T20I campaign providing another step in the region’s preparation for 2028.

Shai Hope will captain both squads when the West Indies face the world's No. 1-ranked team across eight cities from September 27 through October 18.

The Caribbean side will depart on September 21 and arrive in Trivandrum two days later.

ODI campaign enters crucial final stage

The opening two ODIs will bring the current cycle for automatic qualification for the ICC Men’s 50-Over World Cup to an end.

The West Indies, however, cannot overtake their nearest challengers in the qualification standings and will therefore have to enter the ICC qualification tournament early next year.

Head coach Daren Sammy nevertheless views the India series as an important opportunity for the team to sharpen its game against the world's leading side while continuing to develop the group that will ultimately target the 2027 World Cup.

“Playing against the top team in the world presents us with a chance to finetune and improve our performances as an ODI team which has seen quality performances across the cycle,” Sammy said.

“The series also creates a valuable platform to assess players who are stepping into important roles for this series with a long-term target of competing in the World Cup in 2027.”

The ODI squad largely maintains the group that featured in the recent home series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

Campbell returns, Auguste out

John Campbell returns after missing the final two ODIs against New Zealand because of a hamstring injury.

Ackeem Auguste, meanwhile, will miss the tour as he continues his rehabilitation following surgery in August.

Jewel Andrew has been brought into the squad in his place and provides another option in the top and middle order.

Shimron Hetmyer remains committed to the white-ball program but has been granted an extended recovery period following the Caribbean Premier League. He will join the team for the T20I portion of the tour.

The West Indies ODI squad is: Shai Hope (captain), Jewel Andrew, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Vitel Lawes, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford and Jayden Seales.

Pooran gets T20I opportunity

The T20I squad signals an even clearer emphasis on the future.

Kamil Pooran has earned his maiden call-up after producing an impressive campaign that yielded 273 runs from eight innings, including a strike rate of 159.64 and an average of 39.

His selection reflects the team's broader effort to identify and develop players who could form part of the core for the 2028 T20 World Cup.

Quentin Sampson, who was part of the West Indies squad at the ICC T20 World Cup earlier this year in India, has also been retained.

Jason Holder, however, has been rested for the series.

Hetmyer joins the T20I squad, while Hope again assumes the captaincy.

Sammy looks beyond India

For Sammy, the India tour is not simply about the results of the next eight matches.

The West Indies head coach wants the series to build on the momentum generated by the recent series victory over Sri Lanka while giving younger players exposure to the demands of international cricket against the reigning world champions.

“We are looking to build on the momentum from our series win against Sri Lanka, with the long-term goal of developing a strong core of players ahead of the next T20 World Cup,” Sammy said.

“The challenge of playing against the World Champions at home will provide valuable preparation, allowing us to continue improving and developing both individually and as a collective unit.”

The T20I phase therefore provides an important opportunity for players such as Pooran and Sampson to stake their claims while established performers remain part of the framework.

Eight matches, eight cities

The tour begins with the first ODI in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, followed by matches in Guwahati and Chandigarh.

The T20I series then moves through Lucknow, Ranchi, Indore, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Full tour schedule

1st ODI — September 27: Thiruvananthapuram, 4:30 a.m. AST / 3:30 a.m. Jamaica

2nd ODI — September 30: Guwahati, 4:30 a.m. AST / 3:30 a.m. Jamaica

3rd ODI — October 3: Chandigarh, 4:30 a.m. AST / 3:30 a.m. Jamaica

1st T20I — October 6: Lucknow, 9:30 a.m. AST / 8:30 a.m. Jamaica

2nd T20I — October 9: Ranchi, 9:30 a.m. AST / 8:30 a.m. Jamaica

3rd T20I — October 11: Indore, 9:30 a.m. AST / 8:30 a.m. Jamaica

4th T20I — October 14: Hyderabad, 9:30 a.m. AST / 8:30 a.m. Jamaica

5th T20I — October 17: Bengaluru, 9:30 a.m. AST / 8:30 a.m. Jamaica

West Indies ODI Squad: Shai Hope (captain), Jewel Andrew, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Vitel Lawes, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales.

West Indies T20I Squad: Shai Hope (captain), Jewel Andrew, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Kamil Pooran, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Quentin Sampson, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer.

The Team Management Unit comprises head coach Daren Sammy, manager Rawl Lewis, batting assistant coach Floyd Reifer, bowling assistant coach Ravi Rampaul, fielding assistant coach Rayon Griffith, physiotherapist Dr. Denis Byam, strength and conditioning coach Darc Browne, massage therapist Dane Currency, performance analyst Avenesh Seetaram and content and media officer Jerome Foster.

For the West Indies, the India assignment offers two distinct objectives: closing the ODI qualification cycle against the world's top-ranked team while simultaneously developing the next generation of T20I players.

The immediate results will matter, but Sammy is clearly using the tour to build toward targets that extend well beyond October.