Source cricinfo
NEW DELHI — In a major reward for sustained domestic brilliance, Punjab batting all-rounder Naman Dhir and Jammu & Kashmir seamer Auqib Nabi have been handed their maiden international call-ups as the BCCI named a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match home ODI series against the West Indies.
The series, set to begin on September 27 at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, sees Shubman Gill continue as captain, with KL Rahul serving as vice-captain and primary wicketkeeper.
Rewarded for Domestic Dominance
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee has signaled a clear intent to broaden India’s white-ball bench strength. Naman Dhir, 26, has been knocking on the national doors with explosive finishing for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, complemented by match-winning outings for Punjab and India ‘A’. His ability to inject high-tempo runs in the lower-middle order, paired with useful off-spin, gives the Indian management a versatile floater.
For Auqib Nabi, the selection marks a historic breakthrough. The fiery right-arm pacer has enjoyed a standout year, headlining domestic attacks for Jammu & Kashmir before catching widespread attention with an impressive stint for Surrey in English county cricket. Nabi enters a revitalized pace battery that includes Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Punjab seamer Gurnoor Brar.
Veterans Anchor the Squad as Pant Misses Out
Senior stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have both been retained in the 50-over setup, continuing to anchor the top order as India maps out preparations for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. Ravindra Jadeja also makes his return to the side.
Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been left out of the ODI squad. Instead, Pant will captain the Rest of India side in the upcoming Irani Cup clash against Ranji Trophy champions Jammu & Kashmir, paving the way for Dhruv Jurel to serve as Rahul’s backup behind the stumps.
All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy was withdrawn from the Asian Games roster to join the ODI squad, while Hardik Pandya was omitted as selectors monitor his bowling workload ahead of full-throttle 10-over readiness.
India Squad for West Indies ODIs:
Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (vc, wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Naman Dhir.
