West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves will miss the series’ second game, which is set for September 30 in Guwahati, due to a calf injury he acquired during the first ODI in Thiruvananthapuram. There is also uncertainty regarding his availability for the third and final ODI on October 3 at New Chandigarh.
Justin Greaves will miss the series’ second game
Before falling leg before wicket to Kuldeep Yadav, Justin Greaves had batted brilliantly in the first game, amassing his first ODI century of 101 off 108 balls. However, he was unable to participate in the second inning of that game due to the injury. After posting 295 for 7, the West Indies lost the match by eight wickets, while India finished the chase in 41.4 overs. The tourists currently have a 1-0 deficit in the three-match series and need to win the final two games to win the series.
Given that Justin Greaves is not included in the five-match T20I team that will form on October 6 and that the Guwahati and possibly New Chandigarh games would be his last remaining outings on this trip, the timing of the setback is especially noteworthy.
Justin Greaves has become one of the Caribbean side’s most dependable players in the 50-over format since the beginning of 2025. With 528 runs in 19 innings, he is the team’s third-highest run scorer in ODIs during that time. The squad now has a true all-round option in the middle order thanks to his medium pace, which has also produced seven wickets.
For a team that is already behind in the series, losing a player who makes a significant contribution in both areas is quite difficult. For the next two games, the visiting team must find a method to make up for his absence with both the bat and the bowling assault.
As of September 29, 2026, team management had not confirmed the precise rehabilitation period for the calf injury, and no official replacement had been identified in the West Indies roster.
Jewel Andrew is one of the options being examined to open alongside John Campbell for the Guwahati encounter as Greaves is unavailable at the top of the order. The West Indies batting lineup is probably going to change as a result of that reorganisation.
Following his personal absence from the Thiruvananthapuram match, Sherfane Rutherford is anticipated to rejoin the starting lineup. As the West Indies attempt to level the series, his placement in the middle order adds some batting depth.
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Rutherford’s comeback and Andrew’s possible promotion provide the touring team with a feasible, although unproven, formation. It remains to be seen if it will be enough against an Indian team who chased 296 with more than eight overs remaining.
