A calf injury sustained during the first ODI in Thiruvananthapuram has forced West Indies allrounder Justin Greaves out of the second match of the series, scheduled for September 30 in Guwahati. His availability for the third and final ODI in New Chandigarh on October 3 is also uncertain.
Greaves had batted impressively in the opening game, compiling a maiden ODI century of 101 off 108 balls before falling lbw to Kuldeep Yadav. The injury, however, prevented him from taking any part in the second innings of that match. West Indies went on to lose the game by eight wickets, having posted 295 for 7, with India completing the chase in 41.4 overs. The tourists now trail the three-match series 1-0 and must win both remaining fixtures to claim the series.
The timing of the setback is particularly significant given that Greaves is not part of the five-match T20I squad that assembles from October 6, making the Guwahati and potentially New Chandigarh matches his only remaining appearances on this tour.
How big a loss is Greaves for West Indies in this series?
Since the start of 2025, Greaves has established himself as one of the Caribbean side’s most reliable contributors in the 50-over format. He is the side’s third-highest run-scorer in ODIs during that period, with 528 runs accumulated across 19 innings. His medium pace has also yielded seven wickets, giving the team a genuine all-round option in the middle order.
Losing a player who contributes meaningfully in both departments is a considerable challenge for a side already behind in the series. The visiting team needs to find a way to compensate for his absence both with the bat and in the bowling attack across the two remaining matches.
No official replacement has been named in the West Indies squad, and the exact recovery timeline for the calf injury has not been confirmed by team management as of September 29, 2026.
Who could step in to cover Greaves’ batting slot?
With Greaves unavailable at the top of the order, Jewel Andrew is among the options being considered to open alongside John Campbell for the Guwahati match. That reshuffle has been identified as a likely adjustment to the West Indies batting lineup.
Sherfane Rutherford is expected to return to the XI after missing the Thiruvananthapuram game for personal reasons. His inclusion in the middle order provides some additional batting depth as West Indies look to level the series.
The combination of Andrew potentially moving up and Rutherford returning gives the touring side a workable, if untested, configuration. Whether it proves sufficient against an Indian side that chased 296 with more than eight overs to spare remains to be seen.
