West Indies have suffered a heavy setback in their tour of India. Batter Justin Greaves will sit out Wednesday’s second ODI at Guwahati after a calf problem, and his availability for the decider on October 3 at New Chandigarh remains uncertain.
The issue surfaced during the series opener at Thiruvananthapuram. Greaves appeared uncomfortable almost from the outset, limping between the wickets while the team physio came onto the field several times. Despite visible discomfort, he battled on to reach his first ODI hundred, ending on 101 from 108 deliveries before Kuldeep Yadav trapped him leg before. Fielding duties were beyond him afterwards, and he stayed off the ground when India chased.
The timing could hardly be worse for the Caribbean side, who already trail 1-0 with only three matches in the series. Greaves has become a reliable presence in the 50 over format lately. Since the beginning of 2025, he has piled up 528 runs across 19 innings, placing him third on his team’s list of leading run getters in that period. His medium pace has also chipped in with seven wickets, making him a genuine all round asset.
Fixing the top order now becomes the visitors’ priority. Jewel Andrew may be promoted to partner John Campbell at the start of the innings. Sherfane Rutherford, absent from the first game for personal reasons, is expected to return and strengthen the middle order.
The opener was a disappointing outing overall. West Indies posted 295 for 7 from their allotted overs, yet India cruised to the target in 41.4 overs, winning by eight wickets with plenty in hand.
Beyond the ODIs, a five match T20I series awaits, beginning October 6. Greaves is not included in that squad, so his recovery timeline matters mostly for the remaining one day fixture.
For West Indies, the challenge is clear: find answers quickly without their most in form batter, or risk losing the series before it truly gets going.
