Kamil Pooran earns maiden West Indies call for India tour

Kamil Pooran has batted his way from CPL newcomer to full international in the space of one blazing season. Now he heads to India.

The Saint Lucia Kings opener has been handed his first West Indies cap for the five-match T20I series on the back of a breakout Caribbean Premier League campaign, where he hammered 273 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 159.34. He didn’t just score runs; he forced the selectors’ hand.

Pooran is joined in the T20I squad by recalled batter Quentin Sampson and all-rounder Keemo Paul, as West Indies try to sharpen their white-ball edge against the world’s top-ranked side.

Holder rested, Hetmyer staggered across formats

One of the biggest names will be missing from the T20 leg. Jason Holder, the former captain and now a central figure in West Indies’ T20I plans, has been given a breather. He hasn’t featured in ODIs for more than three years, his last appearance coming at the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe, and the selectors have opted to manage his workload.

Shimron Hetmyer’s schedule tells its own story. After a taxing CPL, he has been granted an “extended recovery period” and will sit out the ODI series in India from September 27 to October 3. Cricket West Indies were keen to stress that Hetmyer “remains committed” to the 50-over format, a pointed clarification at a time when many big-name players drift away from ODIs.

He will rejoin the group for the T20Is starting October 6, underlining his importance to West Indies’ short-format ambitions.

ODI squad stays steady, with a teenage return

The one-day squad heading to India looks familiar. Most of the group that lost 3-2 to New Zealand in July keeps its place, a sign that the selectors see continuity rather than upheaval as the way forward.

There are, however, notable absentees. Ackeem Auguste misses out as he continues his rehabilitation after surgery last month. In his place comes a name that will excite those who follow the region’s youth cricket closely: 19-year-old Jewel Andrew. The youngster has been drafted into both the ODI and T20 squads, a clear indication that West Indies see him as part of their next wave.

At the top of the order, John Campbell returns after injury ruled him out of the final two ODIs against New Zealand. His comeback adds experience to a batting group that has shown flashes without yet delivering sustained dominance.

World Cup qualification door closes, but stakes remain high

On paper, the second ODI in Thiruvananthapuram on September 30 carries administrative significance: it marks the end of the automatic qualification cycle for next year’s World Cup in Africa. In reality, West Indies already know their fate. No matter what happens in the first two games, they cannot secure a direct ticket and will be forced down the Qualifiers route.

That doesn’t strip the series of meaning. Far from it.

Head coach Daren Sammy, who has lived West Indies’ white-ball highs and lows as captain and now coach, framed the tour as a vital staging post.

“Playing against the top team in the world presents us with a chance to fine tune and improve our performances as an ODI team which has seen quality performances across the cycle. The series also creates a valuable platform to assess players who are stepping into important roles for this series with a long-term target of competing in the World Cup in 2027,” Sammy said, as the squad prepared for the opening ODI in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27.

This is the long game. With 2027 in mind, the India tour becomes less about immediate points and more about identifying who can handle the heat, the noise, and the scrutiny that come with playing in one of cricket’s toughest environments.

The group tasked with the reset

The ODI squad for India carries a blend of hardened campaigners and emerging talent:

• Shai Hope (captain)
• Jewel Andrew
• John Campbell
• Keacy Carty
• Roston Chase
• Matthew Forde
• Justin Greaves
• Amir Jangoo
• Alzarri Joseph
• Shamar Joseph
• Vitel Lawes
• Gudakesh Motie
• Keemo Paul
• Sherfane Rutherford
• Jayden Seales

Hope’s calm authority, Alzarri Joseph’s hostility, the raw pace of Shamar Joseph, the left-arm craft of Gudakesh Motie, the all-round options of Paul and Roston Chase, the youthful promise of Andrew — it’s a squad built not for a last throw of the dice, but for a new hand altogether.

Pooran’s call-up, Andrew’s promotion, Hetmyer’s carefully managed workload, Holder’s rest: each decision points in the same direction. West Indies are not just chasing results in India. They are trying to shape the team that will walk into a World Cup in 2027 and believe it belongs there.