September 2026 will see a peculiar situation unfold in Indian cricket. With the continental showpiece, the Asian Games (Aichi-Nagoya) to be held in Japan, the Indian cricket team selection committee finds itself in a tight spot. The home limited-overs series against the West Indies and the Asian Games are both in the running at the same time.

Gill leads the young and upcoming group of players back home in his role of building a squad fit to fight in the 2027 World Cup, while Laxman takes his star-studded band of players to Japan.

Five important players are away from the home series against the West Indies.

Let's take a look at who those players are

1. Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer was supposed to lead India's gold medal charge in Japan; instead, he was rested for the West Indies ODIs. The batsman has 3,136 runs at 45.45 in 82 ODIs plus T20I pedigree, making him a key leader of men in Aichi-Nagoya.

Iyer's return is already mapped out as he will be drafted straight back into the main setup as captain for the following T20I series against the West Indies.

2.Jasprit Bumrah

The star fast bowler is the main attraction for India in the multi-format cricket circuit and he too is unavailable for the home ODIs. Jasprit Bumrah leads the pack of pace spearheads missing out on the match against the West Indies. Jasprit Bumrah has 151 wickets in 91 ODIs and a 4.58 economy rate, making him a key leader in Shubman Gill's attack line.

3.Axar Patel

The left-arm spinner is a valuable asset in all three formats, making him a hot prospect for the Asian Games. Patel has 80 wickets in ODIs and almost a thousand runs while bagging more than a hundred scalps in T20I. The all-rounder is a key ingredient in VVS Laxman's attacking blueprint as his left-arm orthodox variations are sorely missed by India against the West Indies.

4. Washington Sundar

Another off-spinner to fill in the gap left vacant by Patel is Washington Sundar. The dexterous all-rounder has 30 wickets and 445 runs in ODIs while notching 53 wickets in T20I, making him a handy player in VVS Laxman's spin-dominated attack.

Sundar has tidy economy rates and a useful lower-order batting average to provide much-needed sting in the tail for the home side.

5. Ishan Kishan

The young wicketkeeper-batter has been a revelation at the top of the order, scoring 1,107 runs at a strike rate of 107.06 in the ODIs. Kishan is the latest in a long line of players rested from the West Indies series, as he was confirmed for the Japan trip since September 10.

The explosive opener will be a big miss for Shubman Gill and the home management as alternate gloveman options and opening pairs are explored.