34-Year-Old Star Likely To Be India’s Vice-Captain Vs West Indies In Shreyas Iyer’s Absence | Cricket News

Last Updated:September 13, 2026, 18:00 IST

KL Rahul likely to be ODI vice-captain vs West Indies. Shreyas Iyer to miss series for Asian Games. BCCI selectors to meet Sept 16 to pick squad.

KL Rahul of India and Shubman Gill of India at the award presentation of the during Day 5 of the 1st Test match between Sri Lanka and India at the Galle International Stadium, Galle, Sri Lanka, on August 19, 2026.

Photo by Pankaj Nangia / CREIMAS for BCCI

India are reportedly likely to name KL Rahul as the ODI vice-captain for the upcoming three-match series against the West Indies. Shreyas Iyer, the regular deputy to Shubman Gill, will miss the rubber as he’ll be with the squad playing and captaining in the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.

According to PTI, the BCCI men’s chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar will be present in Delhi on September 16 — a day after the second India-Afghanistan T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, which he’ll attend — and will oversee a meeting to pick the squad for the series.

The report said the selection committee is likely to debate who’ll be the second wicketkeeper behind Rahul, with Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel as the primary options. The player who’s not picked in the squad will likely lead the Rest of India team in the Irani Cup against Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar next month.

Pant hasn’t played ODIs since 2024 and has failed to make his mark in the format. Jurel has never played ODIs for India.

Ruturaj Gaikwad to replace Shreyas Iyer

The report also said that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad will likely replace Shreyas in the squad. The right-hander last played an ODI for India in December 2025 against South Africa, when Iyer was injured, and batted at his regular position of number four, impressing with a century too. Overall, he has played nine ODIs for India, scoring 228 runs at an average of 28.50.

The West Indies series, which begins on September 27 and will run till October 3, will collide with the Asian Games, which means more players who’ll be in Japan will miss out on the ODIs.

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Why is Shreyas Iyer expected to miss India’s ODI series against the West Indies?

Shreyas Iyer will miss the three-match ODI series because he will be with the Indian squad playing in and captaining the team at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.

Who is likely to replace Shreyas Iyer in India’s ODI squad for the West Indies series?

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad is likely to replace Shreyas Iyer in the squad. Gaikwad last played an ODI for India in December 2025 against South Africa, where he impressed by scoring a century while batting at number four.

Which wicketkeepers are being considered for the ODI series against the West Indies?

The selection committee is expected to debate who will serve as the second wicketkeeper behind KL Rahul, with Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel being the primary options. The player who is not selected for the ODI squad will likely lead the Rest of India team in the Irani Cup against Jammu and Kashmir.

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