IND vs WI squad announcement live: Will Pant and Pandya return?
Hello and welcome to India Today's live coverage of the India vs West Indies, ODI series squad announcement in New Delhi.
Could this be Ajit Agarkar’s last meeting as India’s chief selector? Agarkar’s tenure as chairman of the BCCI senior men’s selection committee is set to end this month, having completed three years in the role since his appointment in July 2023.
The BCCI is yet to confirm whether his tenure will be extended. Wednesday’s meeting to pick India’s squad for the West Indies series could, therefore, be his final one.
India’s spin combination could become particularly interesting if Kuldeep Yadav is required for the Asian Games. The left-arm wrist-spinner remains an important white-ball weapon, but his availability across both assignments could force the selectors to look deeper.
Vipraj Nigam and Zeeshan Ansari are among the younger wrist-spin options who could come into consideration. Varun Chakravarthy’s fitness is another factor after he was dealing with an injury concern ahead of the Asian Games.
For the ODI squad, the selectors therefore have to balance immediate experience with the need to keep enough spin resources available across India's different assignments. The West Indies series may offer a glimpse into that planning.
So, when should you expect the announcement? There is no specific time confirmed for the squads to be revealed, meaning it could come at any point once the selection process is completed.
What we do know is that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is expected to meet in New Delhi today. So, keep this page open. The moment the squads are officially announced, we’ll have them here.
Ravindra Jadeja could make his return to India’s ODI setup after being left out of the England series. His experience and left-arm spin remain useful commodities, particularly with Axar Patel set to be involved in the Asian Games.
Jadeja was a regular part of India’s ODI setup before his omission, and his ability to contribute with both bat and ball gives the selectors a fairly straightforward role to consider. Harsh Dubey’s injury during the Duleep Trophy has also reduced the number of spin-bowling all-rounder options available.
The other name to keep an eye on is Manav Suthar. The youngster could come into the discussion as India look for depth in the spin department, although Jadeja’s return would offer a considerably more experienced option.
Hardik Pandya could be the selection meeting’s biggest fitness question. India’s need for a seam-bowling all-rounder is clear, but his return comes with an obvious workload test: can he bowl a full quota of 10 overs and handle 50 overs in the field?
Pandya has been included in the India A squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia A in Puducherry, subject to fitness. That assignment could provide an important indication of where he stands physically before India’s three ODIs against the West Indies begin on September 27.
With Nitish Kumar Reddy away at the Asian Games and Suryansh Shedge and Venkatesh Iyer unavailable due to injuries, India do not have an endless list of like-for-like options. Pandya’s fitness could therefore have a direct impact on the balance of the ODI XI.
Rishabh Pant is one of the biggest names to watch when the selectors sit down today. His white-ball place has come under scrutiny after an indifferent IPL 2026 campaign, but Ishan Kishan’s absence at the Asian Games could reopen the door for the left-hander.
Pant’s last India ODI appearance came in the Champions Trophy 2025, where he featured in India’s title-winning campaign. He has also remained a major part of India’s wider white-ball plans despite losing ground in the pecking order. With KL Rahul expected to retain the first-choice wicketkeeping role, the question is whether the selectors want Pant as the second option.
If selected, Pant could use the West Indies series as an opportunity to rebuild his ODI rhythm and put himself back into the longer-term picture.\
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of India’s ODI and T20I squad announcement for the West Indies series.
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is set to meet today, with the 50-over squad likely to generate most of the intrigue.
India will play three ODIs and five T20Is against the West Indies. The ODI series begins on September 27 in Thiruvananthapuram, while the T20I leg starts on October 6.
