West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has put a number on the task. His side have not won an ODI series in India for 24 years, and he sees the three-match series starting Sunday in Thiruvananthapuram as the chance to change that.
“India are the No.1 team in the world. It’s been 24 years we’ve not won a series here in India. So it’s a great opportunity for us as a team to come out here and challenge ourselves, and measure up ourselves as to where we’re at in One Day cricket.”
Daren Sammy, West Indies head coach, via Cricket West Indies, September 2026
Can the West Indies break a 24-year jinx and win a series in India? 🤔#INDvsWI pic.twitter.com/piXeY5ZQFA
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) September 25, 2026
Shai Hope’s side are here to find out how far they have come. Coaches rarely say a losing record out loud before a tour, and the reason Sammy did tells you a lot about this young group.
West Indies’ Last ODI Series Win in India
West Indies last won an ODI series in India in 2002-03. Carl Hooper’s side beat Sourav Ganguly’s India 4-3 over seven matches, and Chris Gayle was Player of the Series with 455 runs.
Their last series win over India anywhere came at home in 2006. India have not lost any of the 13 bilateral ODI series between the teams since.
| Record | Detail |
|---|---|
| Last ODI series win in India | 2002-03, won 4-3 |
| Captains | Carl Hooper (WI), Sourav Ganguly (IND) |
| Player of the Series | Chris Gayle, 455 runs |
| Last series win over India anywhere | 2006 in the Caribbean, won 4-1 under Brian Lara |
| Bilateral ODI series since | India unbeaten in 13 |
| Last ODI tour of India | February 2022, lost 3-0 |
Why This Series Matters to West Indies
West Indies missed automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup by six points. Their push for the 2027 World Cup now goes through the qualifiers in February, and Sammy wants to measure the side against India before then.
“If you want to win a major ICC event, especially in the white-ball format, you have to beat India. And us playing them here at home in their conditions, performing well, and winning gives us a fair idea as to what we can do as a team and how capable we are of competing on the world stage.”
Daren Sammy, speaking ahead of the India series, September 2026
On a quest through the subcontinent, with a massive year ahead. 🏆👀#INDvWI | #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/6sSXckxZbq
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) September 25, 2026
India are led by Shubman Gill, whose 2027 World Cup target shapes this series too. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both play as India assess their senior players, a question tied to Rohit’s ODI future. Ravindra Jadeja returns, while Shreyas Iyer and Jasprit Bumrah are away at the Asian Games.
West Indies welcome back John Campbell from a hamstring injury, while Shimron Hetmyer is rested. Sammy calls 19-year-old spinner Vitel Lawes “a find”. The full squad plays in Thiruvananthapuram (September 27), Guwahati (September 30) and Mullanpur (October 3).
Insider Read
A losing record nobody mentions grows inside a dressing room. One collapse in the first game and the young players start thinking “here we go again”. By saying the number first, Sammy makes the drought belong to history, not to this group.
He has also changed what counts as success. When a coach talks about measuring the side, a 19-year-old bowling to Kohli learns he is being judged on how he competes, not only on the result. Players who are not scared of the scoreline take the risks that win games in India. That is the only honest route to ending a 24-year wait.
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