Anshul Kamboj handed ODI debut as India bat first vs West Indies in 3rd ODI
Synopsis
Anshul Kamboj gets his ODI cap on the biggest possible stage — a series decider where India can complete a 3-0 sweep. Pulled straight from an India A game after Prasidh Krishna's hamstring gave way, he now walks into an eleven that already has the series won, with Gill winning the toss for the third time in a row and backing the bat at New Chandigarh.
Key Takeaways
Anshul Kamboj makes his ODI debut in the 3rd ODI at New Chandigarh on 3 October 2026 .
Kamboj was called up after Prasidh Krishna was ruled out with a left hamstring injury sustained in Guwahati .
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Mohammed Siraj return, replacing Ravindra Jadeja and Auqib Nabi .
Captain Shubman Gill won the toss for the third straight time and elected to bat first.
West Indies made three changes — Jewel Andrew , Matthew Forde , and Gudakesh Motie come in.
India lead the series 2-0 and can clinch a 3-0 sweep with a win today.
Anshul Kamboj has been handed his ODI debut as India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bat first against the West Indies in the 3rd ODI at the New PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh, on Saturday, 3 October 2026. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Mohammed Siraj also return to the playing eleven, with India already holding an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
Kamboj's Call-Up and Team Changes
Kamboj joined the squad on Friday after being pulled from India A's second four-day game against Australia A in Puducherry. His inclusion was necessitated by Prasidh Krishna's withdrawal due to a left hamstring injury sustained in Guwahati. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Mohammed Siraj replace Ravindra Jadeja and Auqib Nabi in the eleven.
What Gill Said at the Toss
Winning the toss for the third straight time in this series, Gill expressed confidence in the surface while acknowledging the bowling unit's relative inexperience. 'Beautiful surface, going to be a good wicket to bat on. Our batting has been good, bowling has been a concern at times,' he said.
'We need to keep trying and be better. 15-20 runs make a huge difference. I think the more we play, it is better as our bowling is inexperienced. That will make a huge difference for us,' Gill added.
West Indies Make Three Changes
West Indies captain Shai Hope made three changes to his side, bringing in Jewel Andrew, Matthew Forde, and Gudakesh Motie in place of Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, and Shamar Joseph. Hope stressed the need for consistency with both bat and ball. 'I just want to be consistent with the bat. I thought we've been playing some really good cricket in the batting side of things. It's just about being a little bit better with the ball and executing more on our plans,' he said.
On the exposure gained by his side's younger players on their first tour of India, Hope was upbeat: 'When you come to India, you want to play against the best teams in the world and they really embraced it. I can see that the effort they fight and it's good to see they're learning a lot in the short space of time.'
Playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar.
West Indies: John Campbell, Jewel Andrew, Shai Hope, Amir Jangoo, Sherfane Rutherford, Keemo Paul, Matthew Forde, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Vitel Lawes.
A win for India on Saturday would complete a clean 3-0 series sweep — and hand Kamboj a debut to remember.
Point of View
Because a debut under pressure, in a dead-rubber format (the series is already won), tells you little about India's actual fast-bowling depth chart. More revealing is Gill's repeated admission that bowling remains a 'concern' even as he wins three consecutive tosses — India's batting resources are deep enough to carry experiments, but the bowling unit's inexperience is a problem that this series has exposed rather than resolved.
NationPress
3 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Anshul Kamboj making his ODI debut in the 3rd ODI against West Indies?
Kamboj was drafted into the squad after Prasidh Krishna was ruled out with a left hamstring injury he sustained during the match in Guwahati. He was pulled from India A's four-day game against Australia A in Puducherry to join the senior squad ahead of the New Chandigarh ODI.
Who did India drop from their playing eleven for the 3rd ODI?
Ravindra Jadeja and Auqib Nabi were dropped from India's playing eleven for the 3rd ODI. They were replaced by returning players Nitish Kumar Reddy and Mohammed Siraj.
What are the playing XIs for India vs West Indies 3rd ODI?
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar. West Indies: John Campbell, Jewel Andrew, Shai Hope, Amir Jangoo, Sherfane Rutherford, Keemo Paul, Matthew Forde, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Vitel Lawes.
What is the current series score between India and West Indies in the 2026 ODI series?
India lead the three-match ODI series 2-0 heading into the 3rd ODI at New Chandigarh. A win on Saturday would hand India a 3-0 series sweep.
What did Shubman Gill say after winning the toss in the 3rd ODI?
Gill said the surface looked like a good batting track and acknowledged that bowling has been a concern for India at times in the series. He noted that 15-20 additional runs can make a huge difference and said the bowling unit's inexperience makes match time and experience crucial for improvement.
