Naman Dhir handed maiden India cap as Gill wins toss and bowls first in Thiruvananthapuram ODI

Naman Dhir was handed his maiden One Day International cap on Sunday after captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first against West Indies in the opening match of their three-game ODI series at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

Explaining the decision at the toss, Gill said India preferred to chase on what appeared to be a decent batting surface, which he expected to improve under lights. "We're gonna bowl first, looks like a decent surface. Will come better under the lights, so want to chase. We have got a decent combination, four bowlers and two allrounders. 20-odd matches to go for the World Cup, so good for us to test the combination," Gill said after winning the toss.

West Indies captain Shai Hope also indicated at the toss that he would have preferred to bowl first, expecting the surface to come better under the lights.

Dhir handed debut as India test World Cup combination

Dhir's inclusion was the headline selection call of the day, with the allrounder earning his first ODI cap as India look to begin the series with a win. The hosts also brought in Gurnoor Brar, while the experienced trio of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, along with Ruturaj Gaikwad, featured in the playing XI. With four frontline bowlers and two allrounders — Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy — Gill stressed that with around 20 matches left before the World Cup, the series is an opportunity to test the combination.

India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (w), Naman Dhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Gurnoor Brar, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna

West Indies Playing XI: John Campbell, Justin Greaves, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (w/c), Amir Jangoo, Jewel Andrew, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales

Pitch report: black Mandya clay promises batting-friendly conditions

The pitch report suggested conditions could favour the batters at the Greenfield International Stadium. The surface is made from black Mandya clay from neighbouring Karnataka and has a hard base with minimal grass covering. According to the pitch report, the hard surface should allow the ball to come onto the bat nicely, while the limited grass is expected to reduce lateral movement for the seamers.

The square boundaries measure around 65 metres on either side, while the straight boundary is approximately 74 metres. The pitch is also expected to offer extra bounce because of the nature of the black clay — with little grass on the surface, the ball is expected to travel through to the bat rather than losing energy after pitching.

West Indies make brisk start in chase-deferred innings

Batting first after losing the toss, West Indies made a confident start, reaching 29 for 0 after 3.2 overs with both openers unbeaten. Justin Greaves was the aggressor, smashing 20 off just 11 balls with five fours, while John Campbell played the supporting role on 5 off 10 deliveries. Extras contributed four runs, including two wides and a no-ball.

Among the bowlers, Prasidh Krishna was the most economical, conceding just six runs in two overs, while Nitish Kumar Reddy went for 17 in his single over. Gurnoor Brar, in his early burst, gave away five runs from 0.2 overs.

Match details

The match got underway at 09:30 UK time at the Sports Hub International Cricket Stadium, also known as the Greenfield International Stadium, in Thiruvananthapuram. The match officials for the series opener are Jayaraman Madanagopal, Sam Nogajski, Sharfuddoula Saikat, Prakash Bhatt and Virender Sharma.