As the Indian cricket team prepares to face off against the West Indies in a three-match ODI series, with the first match set to take place in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, September 27, an in-depth look at the squad reveals far more than just names.

With some of their star players, including Shreyas Iyer and Jasprit Bumrah, called up to participate in the Asian Games in Japan, the selectors had to make some tricky decisions.

Three specific reasons why the Indian cricket team is exactly where it needs to be right now

1. Filling in the Blanks: A Spin Bowling Finisher

With Washington Sundar at the Asian Games and Riyan Parag nursing a knee injury, there aren't many lower-order finishers who can also fill the role of an off-spin bowling all-rounder in the squad.

That's when the selectors turned to Naman Dhir, who has had a prolific T20 campaign in the Sher-e Punjab T20 league, and has also shown decent skill with the off-spin. Considering the relative inexperience of Dhir with the 50-over format at the higher level, it shows just how much the selectors desired an all-rounder spin-bowling finisher, who can contribute both with the bat and the ball.

2. Having Fun and Playing Second Fiddle?

With limited firepower in the pace department, and the likes of Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer not being retained for the 50-over format, it comes as no surprise that the T20 World Cup qualifiers in Oman and UAE this year take the backseat as a lower priority for the selectors.

As the West Indies also enter a transitional phase after a disastrous campaign in the last ODI World Cup, it is safe to assume that the 2023 ODI series between the two rivals will see two evolving sides locking horns.

With the opportunity to send their second-string A team to the Asian Games and retain the core players for the upcoming ODI series, it shows just how little the Indian selectors value the ODI format compared to the T20 World Cup qualifiers.

3. Hardik Pandya and the Rise of Nitish Kumar Reddy

Perhaps the most surprising of all the inclusions of the squad is the name of Nitish Kumar Reddy, whose inclusion pushes down the pace-bowling all-rounder spot in the list of priority inclusions.

With the rumors of another injury to Hardik Pandya, and his potential unavailability for the crucial A series, Reddy appears to be the man in the short term for the pace-bowling all-rounder role.

Having just finished up a three-wicket haul in the Afghanistan T20I series, he gets a much-needed opportunity to gain white-ball match practice and accumulate bowling experience.

Reddy's inclusion is a clear sign that the selectors have a short-term plan in mind for the role if Pandya is unavailable. The young gun has to step up now to shoulder the physical and mental burden of the role if any of the senior players fail to deliver.

As the Men in Blue get set to face the Windies at Thiruvananthapuram, it is safe to say that the ODIS series is more of a test series than anything else.

Apart from giving the selectors a chance to get a look at the fringe players, it is an invaluable opportunity to assess potential options for the future.