Rohit retains; Pant misses out: Key takeaways from India’s ODI squad for West Indies series

New Delhi [India], September 17 (ANI): The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Men’s Selection Committee announced India’s squad for the upcoming home series against the West Indies on Wednesday.
Rohit Sharma, who has been the subject of retirement speculation following the England tour, has been named alongside Virat Kohli in the 15-member ODI squad. Shubman Gill will continue to lead the side, with KL Rahul named vice-captain.
The series, beginning on September 27, will provide India with an opportunity to assess several players as preparations continue for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Pant, meanwhile, has been named captain of the Rest of India squad for the upcoming Irani Cup. However, his continued absence from the ODI setup remains notable, with the wicketkeeper-batter missing from the ODI setup since November 2024.
With Ishan Kishan unavailable due to his participation in the Asian Games, Dhruv Jurel has been included as the second wicketkeeper alongside KL Rahul.
With India scheduled to face New Zealand and Australia in Test series later this year, Pant does not appear to be a priority wicketkeeper in the white-ball setup at present.
The squad also marks the return of Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj to India’s ODI plans. Jadeja was not part of the recent ODI series against England, while Siraj was rested for the England tour amid workload considerations.
Jadeja, who remains a key question mark ahead of the 2027 World Cup, has been included in the ODI squad again, with Axar Patel set to travel to the Asian Games as part of India’s T20 side.
The selectors have also handed maiden ODI call-ups to Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi and Punjab all-rounder Naman Dhir. Their inclusion adds fresh options to a squad that also features Nitish Kumar Reddy, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Gurnoor Brar.
India’s ODI team: Shubman Gill [C], Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul [VC], Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Naman Dhir. (ANI)