India will host the West Indies for two Tests in October.
The Indian cricket team is currently battling it out in the Asia Cup 2025 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). But soon after that assignment, they have two important series coming up. Though the frequency of cricket ceases to reduce, the formats keep changing. And that is where the challenge lies. To keep themselves in the beat, ODI skipper Rohit Sharma and Test opener KL Rahul were seen grinding at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Centre of Excellence. Both the players focused on skills and strength training.
The Indians will be hosting the West Indies for a two-match Test series in early October. Post the red-ball series, the team will be on the flight Down Under, where they will be engaging in three ODIs and five T20Is. The ODI series will be played from October 19 till October 25. Furthermore, the T20I series will kickstart on October 29 and will be played toll November 8.
Both the series will be important for both the teams, with respect to their preparations for further tournaments. The Men in Blue haven’t played an ODI since the Final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Moreover, the three-match ODI series would give both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli some game time. To add some perspective to that, KL Rahul was seen training with a red-ball ahead of the Test series, while Rohit trained with white-balls.
After his retirement from the Test and T20I formats, one of the biggest questions has been whether he will feature in the ODI World Cup in 2027. The 50-over format is the only one which Rohit can feature in. But his battle is against time. The Indian ODI skipper is already 38 years old, and will have to sustain for quite some time, if he wants to make it to the mega-event in 2027.
The ODI series against Australia would be the perfect opportunity for Rohit to introspect on his game. The experience that he brings to the table in terms of his leadership abilities is massive, and India would be inclined towards having him for the 50-over World Cup.
Moreover, the Men in Blue missed to opportunity to lift the coveted trophy in 2023. They were comprehensively beaten by Australia in Ahmedabad after staying unbeaten through the entire campaign. Both Virat Kohli and Rohit would like to have one last dance at their chances in the ODI World Cup. But as far as the fitness and form is concerned, they will have to keep finding ways to stay connected with the game. There has been a significant decrease in the number of ODIs which India have been playing over a period of time. And that might pose a challenge.
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Out of all the Indian batters in Test cricket, KL Rahul is one of the best when it comes to technique. The 33-year-old has been showing superb consistency in the longest format of the game. In the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, Rahul was the third highest run scorer in the tournament, only behind Shubman Gill and Joe Root. He notched up 532 runs in five matches, and was instrumental at the top of the order alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
It is therefore no wonder that the Delhi Capitals (DC) opener will open the innings for India in the upcoming Test series against the West Indies. After having played 63 Tests till date, he is shy of the 3800-run mark by just 11 runs. Moreover, he has registered 19 fifties and 10 hundreds in his Test career. Also, Rahul has been a force to reckon with at the top, with a lot more than 50% of his runs coming while he has opened the batting.
What Rahul manages wonderfully, is his ability to play the ball late. This is one of the reasons he is one of the most successful batters for India overseas. Test cricket requires ample of perseverance and patience, and Rahul has displayed that to perfection over a period of time. The Indian opener has mastered the ability to connect the ball right under his eyes, which is a perfect way to approach the ball when it is moving laterally.
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