Kohli and Rohit Sharma Return as India Chase West Indies' 295 in Series Opener

The veterans are back

India opened a three-match ODI series against West Indies on Sunday at Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, a fixture notable as much for who is playing as for the result. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both now active only in the ODI format, returned to the India setup for the series, with Shubman Gill continuing as captain.

The series is being treated partly as preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup, giving India a chance to blend its experienced core with the squad built around Gill's captaincy.

West Indies post 295

West Indies won the toss, batted first, and posted 295 for 7 in their 50 overs, a total that put real pressure on India's chase from the first ball.

India's reply started steadily. The hosts were 23 without loss after 4.4 overs, needing 273 more runs from 272 balls at a required rate of 6.02 against a current run rate of 5.23, a chase that was still very much in the balance as it developed through the middle overs.

Where the series goes next

Sunday's match is the first of three ODIs, with the second set for September 30 in Guwahati and the third on October 3 in New Chandigarh. The one-day series will be followed by a five-match T20I series opening October 6 in Lucknow, making for a busy few weeks of bilateral cricket between the two sides.

The match was broadcast live on the Star Sports network, made available free-to-air on DD Sports, and streamed on JioHotstar, giving the Kohli-Rohit reunion a wide audience across formats and platforms.