India's immediate objective in the India vs West Indies 2nd ODI is straightforward: win in Guwahati and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

But beyond the result, the series is being treated as another important step toward India's 2027 ODI World Cup preparations.

The next World Cup is scheduled to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, and India's management is already working through possible combinations. According to The Telegraph, establishing a dependable core bowling group has become one of the major priorities before India's upcoming international assignments.

The first ODI provided plenty of encouragement with India winning by eight wickets after successfully chasing West Indies' 295-run total. Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 139, while captain Shubman Gill made 110, giving India a strong start to the series.

While India's batting has considerable depth, the bowling combination is still being evaluated.

The absence of Jasprit Bumrah from the ODI series has created an opportunity for other fast bowlers to stake their claim. Bumrah is currently involved with India's T20I setup at the Asian Games in Japan.

The team is therefore looking closely at options such as Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar, while Mohammed Siraj remains an experienced option.

India's bowling coach Morne Morkel had previously stressed the importance of giving second-line bowlers meaningful opportunities before the World Cup.

Spin is another area being assessed. Kuldeep Yadav made an immediate impact in the first ODI, while Ravindra Jadeja has returned to the ODI setup after missing India's previous ODI assignments. The management also has Axar Patel and Naman Dhir as potential options.

Another major factor is the availability of Hardik Pandya.

India's management continues to consider how best to cover the all-rounder's role, particularly because of the balance he provides between batting and bowling.

That has increased attention on Nitish Kumar Reddy, who is being assessed as one of the possible alternatives. The ongoing series gives the management an opportunity to examine whether he can consistently contribute across both departments.

The broader three-all-rounder combination has also been part of India's experimentation as they search for the right balance ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

India made one change for the second ODI in Guwahati, handing Auqib Nabi his ODI debut in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to field, pointing to the additional grass on the Barsapara Cricket Stadium surface and the possibility of early assistance for fast bowlers.

India's XI included Rohit Sharma, Gill, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul, Naman Dhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna.

West Indies also made four changes as they attempted to respond after the opening-match defeat.

The second ODI began with West Indies batting first and making a rapid start.

At the latest update available during the match, West Indies were 127/1 after 14 overs, with opener John Campbell leading the attack. Campbell had raced to 83 from 51 deliveries, while captain Shai Hope was providing support at the other end.

That aggressive start presents India's bowlers with an immediate test and could provide useful information for the management as it assesses players for future roles.

India will also want to improve their fielding. Gill acknowledged at the toss that the team's intensity during the middle overs was an area that needed improvement after the first ODI.

For India, the three-match series is more than an opportunity to build momentum.

Every ODI gives the management additional information about:

With the 2027 ODI World Cup still more than a year away, India have time to experiment. However, the ongoing search for a settled bowling group shows that the team is already moving toward a more defined World Cup structure.