🏏West Indies tour of India 2026: 2nd ODI - on 30/09/26 @2:00 PM IST🏏

🏏West Indies tour of India 2026: 2nd ODI at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati on 30/09/26 @2:00 PM IST🏏

India look to solidify 2027 World Cup plans, West Indies seek more bowling bite

While both teams will mainly be looking to win, they have their own questions to address

After Thiruvananthapuram, the India-West Indies ODI series moves to Guwahati, and while this is a dramatic shift in landscape - from the south-western tip of India to the north-east - the objectives for the two teams don't change that much. Both teams, first of all, will want to win - India to seal the series win, West Indies to stay alive.

The next priority, for India, is about getting another step closer to figuring out their best 15 for the 2027 World Cup in southern Africa. They began this series with an interesting combination featuring three allrounders and only three specialist bowlers, and look set to continue with that set-up in Guwahati. Will Nitish Kumar Reddy continue to get the new ball? How will Naman Dhir's offbreaks hold up for a second successive ODI? And with Axar Patel away at the Asian Games, can Ravindra Jadeja make a big push to stay in the World Cup conversation?

For West Indies, there is a World Cup Qualifier in February-March to build towards. And to that end, they will want to build on the positives from Thiruvananthapuram, and put in more rounded performances over the rest of this series. They showed great promise with the bat in that first ODI, but they'll want to show they can do it again, and do it across all phases of an innings. And they'll definitely want to show more wicket-taking teeth with the ball - to this end they could look at sacrificing some of their batting depth to bring in either Shamar Joseph or the left-arm wristspinner Vitel Lawes.

Team news

India: The blow to Shubman Gill’s elbow had no effect on his run-scoring spree, with a two-day break giving him some more time, if he needed any. Bahutule indicated that roles could be moved around within the bowling attack, using Gurnoor Brar as a new-ball option as an example. Kuldeep Yadav broke open their middle order, but their expectations would be higher from the second spinner, Ravindra Jadeja, who now has just one wicket in his last seven innings. Bahutule insisted, though, that Jadeja has been a “much improved” bowler in the last six months.

It is to be seen if the role-changing also leads to personnel switch: one of Mohammed Siraj or Auqib Nabi could very easily be swapped in to test out combinations.

Probable XI: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (wk), Naman Dhir, Nitish Kumar Reddy/Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar

West Indies: Justin Greaves, who soldiered through an injury to score a century, has been ruled out of the Guwahati ODI due to the calf trouble. To lose an in-form batter is a body blow to the tourists, who will now have to rejig their line-up. A possible switch could be having Jewel Andrew open, and bringing in Sherfane Rutherford as a middle-order reinforcement.

Under the sun and against pace, Greaves looked hard to remove, as did John Campbell, as they churned out runs in the first 15 overs. That made way for stuttering feet and indecisiveness when Kuldeep Yadav settled into his spell. Ahead of the game, batting coach Floyd Reifer reminded that they had one of the best middle-orders a couple of years ago, but being consistent with it has still been a work in progress.

Their two finger spinners, Roston Chase and Gudakesh Motie, could do little off the pitch, and to cut the blandness of the attack, Lawes could be a potential option.

Probable XI: Jewel Andrew, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (c & wk), Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Amir Jangoo, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie/Vitel Lawes, Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph

ACA Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati: Pitch Report

A batting paradise is what the pitch at the ACA Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati could be best regarded as. There have been a couple of one-day internationals played at the venue in the past, with the most recent being in 2023 between India and Sri Lanka. In all innings played at the venue, teams have successfully crossed a score of 300-plus, with India's 373-7 against the Lankans being the highest.

Did You Know?

1. Among specialist spinners, only Rashid Khan (8) has won more ODI Player of the Match awards than Kuldeep Yadav since his debut.
2. Virat Kohli has scored a century in both ODIs played at Guwahati so far: 140(107) vs WI 2018 and 113(87) vs SL 2023
3. India are in line to win their 14th successive bilateral rubber against West Indies

What they said:

“Your pitches are very good. You watch IPL cricket, you get those pitches: fast outfields, small outfields. So, it is a great opportunity as a batsman to score runs in India. You get value for your shots. Your fields are really quick. It is just a matter of getting in strong positions and hitting gaps. In the Caribbean, it is a bit different. Our pitches are a bit slower. You have got to manufacture some more shots or try to create more power in terms of stroke play. But over here now, it is totally different. They actually love it because the ball comes on to the bat. The field is small. Very quick. You just need to hit gaps,” – West Indies batting coach Floyd Reifer, on the difference in pitches at home vs India

“During the series, we will come across certain changes, purely to understand who we can have placed well in the right position. When it comes to the fast bowlers, it will be important to see who actually the three fast bowlers would be.Maybe a fourth seamer or an all-rounder. That is yet to be seen. But ample opportunities will be given to all the bowlers to bowl in different phases. You might see Gurnoor bowling the new ball. Things like that. And I think that is very important to know how the players, because it is a young side.” – Spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule, on India potentially experimenting in the series

IND vs WI: Probable Best Performers of the Match

Probable Best Batter: Rohit Sharma

Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma did get off to an excellent start in the opening fixture in Thiruvananthapuram but failed to convert it into a big score. He will now be desperate to grasp the chance with both hands and offer a treat to watch for his fans. Another reason that he is likely to enjoy batting on Wednesday is his excellent record in Guwahati, where he has played two innings, scoring a century and a half-century, totalling 235 runs at an astonishing average of 235.00.

Probable Best Bowler: Prasidh Krishna

The tall and lanky pacer, Prasidh Krishna, has become one of the most improved bowlers of late, and playing in the absence of mainstay pacers like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami has helped him take ownership of the fast-bowling unit to a much greater extent. He was among the wickets in the first ODI as well, picking a couple of breakthroughs, helping the Men in Blue restrict the Caribbeans to a below-par total.

Today's Match Prediction: Chasing team to win the match

Second To Bat

IND

Powerplay: 50-70

300-320

Second To Bat

WI

Powerplay: 70-90

340-360

Win Probability

IND 60%

WI 40%

Disclaimer

The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.

When: September 30, 2026

Where: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati

What to expect: More heat in the afternoon. Trivandrum, with a big gap in its façade, offered constant breeze even in the hot sun. An excessive heat alert is in effect in Guwahati and could sap the team bowling first. Guwahati has hosted only two ODIs before, where all four innings saw 300+ totals.

Form guide

India WLLWW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)

West Indies LWLLL