# West Indies name squads for India tour, Kamil Pooran gets maiden T20I call-up

2026-09-19T18:46:42+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 5 independent outlets

Cricket West Indies has announced its squads for the three ODIs and five T20Is against India starting September 27 in Thiruvananthapuram. Shai Hope will captain both sides. The ODI squad retains the core group from the recent home series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, with John Campbell returning after a hamstring injury. Jewel Andrew replaces the injured Ackeem Auguste. Opening batter Kamil Pooran earned his maiden T20I call-up after scoring 273 runs in eight innings in the Caribbean Premier League at a strike rate of 159.64. Shimron Hetmyer has been given an extended recovery period after the CPL and will join the squad only for the T20Is. Experienced all-rounder Jason Holder has been rested for the entire tour. India are the world's top-ranked side in both formats. The first two ODIs will close the automatic qualification cycle for the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup. West Indies cannot overtake their nearest challengers in the standings and will have to enter the qualification tournament early next year. Head coach Daren Sammy said the series is a chance to assess players and prepare for the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 T20 World Cup.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

All five outlets present the squad announcement as straight news with no ideological slant. The CWI and ICC sources lead with the official squad lists and Sammy's long-term vision, while India Today and Rediff give equal weight to Pooran's CPL statistics and the World Cup qualification failure. The uniform framing reflects a press-release-driven story. The practical test is whether Pooran and Hetmyer deliver against India's attack, with the qualification tournament early next year determining West Indies' 2027 World Cup fate.

## Coverage

- sportstar.thehindu.com (neutral report) <https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/west-indies-squad-vs-india-odi-t20i-series-full-players-list-shai-hope-captain/article71485882.ece>
  Straightforward squad announcement with no editorial comment
- indiatoday.in (neutral report) <https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/west-indies-odi-t20i-squad-for-india-tour-pooran-hetmyer-holder-2998592-2026-09-19>
  Straight reporting of squads and selection rationale
- icc-cricket.com (neutral report) <https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/icc-cricket-world-cup-2027/news/west-indies-unveil-odi-and-t20i-squads-for-india-tour>
  Official ICC release style, neutral and factual
- windiescricket.com (neutral report) <https://www.windiescricket.com/news/cricket-west-indies-announces-limited-overs-squads-for-the-tour-of-india/>
  Official CWI announcement, neutral and complete
- rediff.com (neutral report) <https://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/west-indies-squads-for-india-series-john-campbell-returns-for-odis-pooran-earns-maiden-t20i-call-up/20260919.htm>
  PTI wire copy, neutral with key points summary

Tags: Cricket West Indies, India, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, West Indies
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