Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik has suggested two changes to India’s playing XI for the second ODI against West Indies, scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. Karthik wants the team management to drop Prasidh Krishna or Gurnoor Brar and hand places to either Mohammed Siraj or Auqib Nabi.
India head into the match 1-0 up in the three-match ODI series after winning the first ODI at Thiruvananthapuram by eight wickets. Virat Kohli scored 139 not out and Shubman Gill made 110 in that victory. A win in Guwahati would give India an unassailable lead in the series.
“I feel they can bring in Siraj, and rest one of the pacers, Prasidh Krishna or Gurnoor Brar. You can also remove both Gurnoor and Prasidh, and give Siraj and Auqib Nabi. I do feel this is a series where you need to try out people and see where they stand, so that for the near future you know exactly what you want. If you feel one of the players fit in, then get him in,” Karthik told Cricbuzz.
Why does Karthik want Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar dropped?
Karthik’s suggestion is rooted in the performances of both bowlers in the first ODI. Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar bowled a combined 20 overs in that match, conceding 120 runs and taking only two wickets between them. That returns an economy rate of 6.00 across those overs, which Karthik evidently considers too costly.
Brar‘s recent form adds further weight to the argument. The speedster took 11 wickets in his first five matches after making his debut in the home ODI series against Afghanistan, but he has since conceded 157 runs across his last two appearances without picking up a wicket.
Prasidh’s overall numbers in ODIs this year tell a different story. He is India’s leading wicket-taker in the format in 2026, with 15 wickets in eight matches at an average of 26.53 and an economy of 5.65. He has also reached a career-best ICC ODI bowling ranking of 486. Despite those figures, Karthik believes the series against West Indies is the right moment to rotate the pace options and assess alternatives.
What would Siraj and Auqib Nabi bring to India’s XI?
Mohammed Siraj has not played an ODI since January 2026, making this series a potential opportunity for him to return to the format. Karthik’s suggestion would see Siraj come back into the side in place of one or both of the struggling pacers, giving the team management a chance to evaluate his current readiness.
Auqib Nabi is yet to make his international debut despite receiving call-ups across multiple formats in recent times. Karthik’s recommendation would hand the exciting bowler his first cap, with the former wicketkeeper framing the series against West Indies as a platform to assess players ahead of the ODI World Cup 2027.
