The frenzy that follows a Virat Kohli special doesn’t disperse quickly. Long after the finish, fans were still meandering around the stadium, hoping to catch a glimpse of the team’s departure. The next morning, word spread inside the Trivandrum airport about India’s travel plans. A staffer at baggage check, working since 4am, nervously told how she was hopeful to catch the team before the end of her shift. When the team finally arrived close to 1pm, departure gates began getting shifted around, vendors abandoned their stalls, and travellers rushed around with their suitcases. “We were considering even missing our flight,” two Rohit Sharma superfans said.
Come Tuesday, Guwahati fans are set to carry forward that passion. With India opting out of practice after a long day of travel, the Barsapara stadium bore a quiet look on Monday night. West Indies gladly took over the hosts’ original evening slot for a session under lights.
Under lights in Trivandrum, India’s batting ran on autopilot. Kohli’s breathtaking range was in hyperdrive: he’s now scored more ODI runs since the 2023 World Cup than anyone else. Shubman Gill reeled off another ton as well. The large contingent of Rohit Sharma fans, however, were left longing for more.
The bowling could go through some shapeshifting through the series, as indicated by spin coach Sairaj Bahutule on Tuesday. The idea is to plug in different bowlers in different roles, partly why Nitish Reddy was tried out as a new-ball bowler in the first ODI, even if the ploy didn’t click.
For West Indies, the biggest positive was Justin Greaves and John Campbell quickly adjusting to the fast bowlers from the start, but the big, clear worry is the lull in the middle and the collapse against Kuldeep Yadav. Amir Jangoo, who secured the backend with 58*, felt they should attack the spinner more. As for their own bowling, they would probably look to employ their own left-arm wrist-spinner in Vitel Lawes.
When: September 30, 2026
Where: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
What to expect: More heat in the afternoon. Trivandrum, with a big gap in its façade, offered constant breeze even in the hot sun. An excessive heat alert is in effect in Guwahati and could sap the team bowling first. Guwahati has hosted only two ODIs before, where all four innings saw 300+ totals.
Team news
India: The blow to Shubman Gill’s elbow had no effect on his run-scoring spree, with a two-day break giving him some more time, if he needed any. Bahutule indicated that roles could be moved around within the bowling attack, using Gurnoor Brar as a new-ball option as an example. Kuldeep Yadav broke open their middle order, but their expectations would be higher from the second spinner, Ravindra Jadeja, who now has just one wicket in his last seven innings. Bahutule insisted, though, that Jadeja has been a “much improved” bowler in the last six months.
It is to be seen if the role-changing also leads to personnel switch: one of Mohammed Siraj or Auqib Nabi could very easily be swapped in to test out combinations.
Probable XI: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (wk), Naman Dhir, Nitish Kumar Reddy/Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar
West Indies: Justin Greaves, who soldiered through an injury to score a century, has been ruled out of the Guwahati ODI due to the calf trouble. To lose an in-form batter is a body blow to the tourists, who will now have to rejig their line-up. A possible switch could be having Jewel Andrew open, and bringing in Sherfane Rutherford as a middle-order reinforcement.
Under the sun and against pace, Greaves looked hard to remove, as did John Campbell, as they churned out runs in the first 15 overs. That made way for stuttering feet and indecisiveness when Kuldeep Yadav settled into his spell. Ahead of the game, batting coach Floyd Reifer reminded that they had one of the best middle-orders a couple of years ago, but being consistent with it has still been a work in progress.
Their two finger spinners, Roston Chase and Gudakesh Motie, could do little off the pitch, and to cut the blandness of the attack, Lawes could be a potential option.
Probable XI: Jewel Andrew, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (c & wk), Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Amir Jangoo, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie/Vitel Lawes, Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph
Did You Know?
- Among specialist spinners, only Rashid Khan (8) has won more ODI Player of the Match awards than Kuldeep Yadav since his debut.
- Virat Kohli has scored a century in both ODIs played at Guwahati so far: 140(107) vs WI 2018 and 113(87) vs SL 2023
- India are in line to win their 14th successive bilateral rubber against West Indies
What they said:
“Your pitches are very good. You watch IPL cricket, you get those pitches: fast outfields, small outfields. So, it is a great opportunity as a batsman to score runs in India. You get value for your shots. Your fields are really quick. It is just a matter of getting in strong positions and hitting gaps. In the Caribbean, it is a bit different. Our pitches are a bit slower. You have got to manufacture some more shots or try to create more power in terms of stroke play. But over here now, it is totally different. They actually love it because the ball comes on to the bat. The field is small. Very quick. You just need to hit gaps,” – West Indies batting coach Floyd Reifer, on the difference in pitches at home vs India
“During the series, we will come across certain changes, purely to understand who we can have placed well in the right position. When it comes to the fast bowlers, it will be important to see who actually the three fast bowlers would be.Maybe a fourth seamer or an all-rounder. That is yet to be seen. But ample opportunities will be given to all the bowlers to bowl in different phases. You might see Gurnoor bowling the new ball. Things like that. And I think that is very important to know how the players, because it is a young side.” – Spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule, on India potentially experimenting in the series
