The West Indies took a significant hit before their crucial second ODI against India in Guwahati on Wednesday, as in-form opener Justin Greaves was ruled out due to a calf injury he suffered while scoring a century in the first match of the series.
In a statement, Cricket West Indies said, “Justin Greaves has been ruled out of the second game of the ODI series against India after sustaining a calf injury. Greaves picked up the injury during his innings in the opening match of the series.”
In the opening game, Greaves performed impressively, scoring his first ODI century with 101 runs off 108 balls before being dismissed lbw by Kuldeep Yadav. However, the injury kept him from participating in the second innings of that match. West Indies lost the match by eight wickets after scoring 295 for 7, as India successfully chased down the target in 41.4 overs. The tourists now lead the three-match series 1-0 and need to win both remaining matches to secure the series.
Since the beginning of 2025, Greaves has become one of the Caribbean team’s most dependable performers in the 50-over format. He ranks third among the side’s run-scorers in ODIs during that time, having scored 528 runs in 19 innings.
His medium pace has also accounted for seven wickets, providing the team with a genuine all-round option in the middle order. Losing a player who makes significant contributions in both areas poses a major challenge for a team already trailing in the series. The visiting team must devise a strategy to make up for his absence, both offensively and in the bowling lineup, over the next two matches.
As of September 29, 2026, no official substitute has been announced for the West Indies squad, and the precise recovery schedule for the calf injury remains unconfirmed by team management.
