Siraj leads India's attack without Bumrah as Auqib Nabi waits for a first cap

India begin a three-match ODI series against West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday with Mohammed Siraj the most experienced seamer in an attack missing Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah is in Japan, where he is part of India's squad for the Asian Games men's T20 tournament, which runs from 24 September to 3 October. Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Ishan Kishan are there with him.

That leaves Shubman Gill with a bowling group built around Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav, and with Ravindra Jadeja back in the fifty-over side for the first time since January. Hardik Pandya remains unfit.

Two of the fifteen have never played an ODI. Auqib Nabi, the Jammu and Kashmir seamer who was the leading wicket-taker in last season's Ranji Trophy, and Naman Dhir, the Punjab allrounder, were both handed maiden call-ups.

Five of India's squad are in Japan

The Asian Games cricket competition is played in the T20 format and is being staged in Aichi prefecture, with ten teams entered. India are captained there by Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma as his deputy.

Bumrah had been rested from India's T20I tours of Ireland and England earlier in the year, and his selection for the Games was framed by the selectors as workload management ahead of next year's World Cup.

Rishabh Pant was left out of the ODI squad altogether and named captain of Rest of India for the Irani Cup, leaving Dhruv Jurel as the reserve wicketkeeper behind KL Rahul.

Siraj and Prasidh Krishna carry the new ball

Siraj has taken 76 wickets in 50 ODIs at 25.32, with a best of 6-21 against Sri Lanka in the 2023 Asia Cup final. He last played the format against New Zealand on 18 January.

Prasidh Krishna has 50 wickets from 28 ODIs at 26.62, best 5-23, and has played more recently, against England on 19 July.

Gurnoor Brar is the third seamer named. The Punjab fast bowler took 3-27 from 4.5 overs on debut against Afghanistan at Dharamsala in June, and has seven wickets at 19.42 from his three matches.

Auqib Nabi's long wait for a first cap

Nabi, 29, took 60 wickets at 12.65 in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy and was named player of the tournament as Jammu and Kashmir won the competition for the first time.

He was called into India's Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka in August as a replacement for the injured Bumrah, but did not play. A right-arm medium-pacer who has represented Jammu and Kashmir since 2018, he joined Delhi Capitals at the most recent IPL auction.

A bench-strength series before the World Cup

Former India allrounder Irfan Pathan said the shape of the squad was deliberate. "This is not the main team against the West Indies for the ODIs, and I feel that's the right way to go," he said. "Bumrah is not there, Shreyas, Axar, and Washington Sundar are all playing at the Asian Games."

"You are going to get only a few matches before the World Cup next year, and in those games, you want to test your bench strength as well," Pathan said. "That opportunity has arrived now."

West Indies, led by Shai Hope, have pace of their own in Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales, with Gudakesh Motie the frontline spinner. Opener John Campbell returns from a hamstring injury and Shimron Hetmyer has been rested.

A ground where bowlers have settled both ODIs

Greenfield International Stadium has staged only two men's ODIs since it opened in January 2015, and the ball decided each of them.

In the first, on 1 November 2018, West Indies were bowled out for 104 and India replied with 105 for 1 to win by nine wickets.

In the second, on 15 January 2023, India made 390 for 5 and Sri Lanka were dismissed for 73 in 22 overs. The 317-run margin remains the largest in ODI history.

The ground, which holds about 50,000, is run by Kariavattom Sports Facilities Limited alongside the Kerala Cricket Association.

The first ball is due at 2pm on Sunday, with the series moving on to Guwahati on 30 September and Mullanpur on 3 October.

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