Ravindra Jadeja has returned to India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against the West Indies, beginning September 27 in Thiruvananthapuram. The experienced all-rounder was left out of the ODI squads for the previous series against Afghanistan and England but has earned another opportunity with Axar Patel and Washington Sundar unavailable due to their Asian Games commitments.
Jadeja brings significant experience to the squad, having taken more than 200 wickets in ODI cricket. His return also adds another dimension to India’s spin-bowling all-rounder options as the team continues to build towards the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Former India batter Aakash Chopra believes Jadeja’s selection is one of the major talking points from the squad announcement. However, he feels the senior all-rounder will need to make a strong impact with both bat and ball to strengthen his position in the team.
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Chopra pointed out that Jadeja faces competition from Axar Patel and Washington Sundar for a place in India’s ODI setup. With all three players unlikely to feature in the final World Cup squad, the upcoming opportunities could prove important in determining India’s preferred combination.
“Ravindra Jadeja will have to, of course, take wickets and score runs. Fielding has always been his strong suit. But from a World Cup point of view, you have Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar, and not all of them will go to South Africa. So, someone will be left out, and therefore, every time you get an opportunity, you have to grab it with both hands,” Aakash Chopra said on JioHotstar’s Follow the Blues.
#RavindraJadeja Told To Make Most Of #AxarPatel And #WashingtonSundar‘s Absence In ODI Series Against West Indies#INDvsWIhttps://t.co/Lbbac7oG8Z
— News18 CricketNext (@cricketnext) September 19, 2026
Chopra also discussed the expectations surrounding senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of the West Indies ODIs. With the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching, he believes their ability to consistently contribute with the bat will remain a major focus.
“The World Cup is just one year away now, and I know that if Rohit and Kohli get in, they’ll score runs, win you matches, and possibly win you trophies. So, looking at it from this perspective, the only expectation from Rohit and Kohli is just this: keep scoring runs,” he said.
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Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel also praised the selectors for assembling a competitive squad despite several players being unavailable because of the Asian Games.
“With the available players, you try and make the most of what you have. The biggest change you notice is that KL Rahul has been made vice-captain in place of Shreyas Iyer, because Shreyas Iyer will be at the Asian Games. There was certainly a question mark over Rishabh Pant, but I also liked Dhruv Jurel’s selection. So, considering all of that, a very good team has been picked, and full marks to the Indian team selectors,” Parthiv said.
