India and West Indies begin a five-match T20I series on October 6 in Lucknow, with further matches scheduled in Ranchi, Indore, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

The T20I leg follows an extraordinary ODI series. India won the series 2-1, but West Indies pulled off a record chase in the third ODI at New Chandigarh on Saturday, hunting down 352 with five wickets to spare — their highest successful run chase in one-day cricket.

Shai Hope’s unbeaten 162 trumped KL Rahul’s 129 not out in that match, while India’s 406-run chase in the second ODI in Guwahati had already broken records. The series exposed India’s bowling concerns ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, with the attack conceding heavily across all three games.

Context matters: Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh were away at the Asian Games, and India were without several first-choice players. The team also just defended the Asian Games men’s cricket gold, beating Pakistan in the final.

For West Indies, the record chase and Hope’s form provide real momentum heading into the shorter format. For India, the series is a chance to settle combinations and restore bowling confidence.