The West Indies ODI series should be viewed less as a contest India must simply win and more as a preparation window for the much more demanding New Zealand assignment. With ODI 2027 firmly in the background, India need to use these matches to answer questions that remain unresolved.
Guwahati provides an ideal opportunity. The naturally good-scoring surface should encourage India to bat first and put the bowling attack under pressure. There will be a dew factor later in the evening, but that itself should become part of the experiment. India need to understand how their pace options perform when conditions become less helpful.
The previous game offered an interesting reminder. While Virat Kohli’s contribution will naturally dominate the headlines, Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling impact was arguably more significant from a team-building perspective. His ability to control the middle overs gives India a valuable weapon, but the pace attack still needs serious examination.
If preparation is genuinely the priority, India should consider making three changes across the remaining two ODIs.
Mohammed Siraj should be brought into the attack to regain rhythm and establish his role in the ODI setup. Arshdeep Singh could then be given the final ODI, allowing India to assess different left-right pace combinations before New Zealand.
