The rivalry between the West Indies Cricket Team and the India National Cricket Team is one of the most historic and exciting in cricket history. From the first encounters in the 1970s to the modern-day ICC tournaments, both teams have produced memorable matches filled with high tension and exceptional talent. West Indies, once the dominant force in world cricket with their fierce fast bowlers and explosive batsmen, has often challenged India’s technically sound and strategic lineup. Over the decades, their encounters in Tests, ODIs, and T20s have provided cricket fans with thrilling performances, dramatic finishes, and legendary individual displays that remain etched in memory.
Latest Match: West Indies vs India
#
Date
Format
Venue
Scores & Toss
Result
Highlight Reel
1
Mar 1, 2026
T20 (WC Super 8)
Lauderhill, Florida
WI 195/4 (20) vs IND 199/5 (19.4) WI won toss, batted
IND won by 5 wkts
Rohit Sharma’s blistering 80* seals semi-final spot in a floodlit thriller!
2
Oct 10-13, 2025
Test (2nd)
Delhi
IND 518/5d & 124/3 (35.2; tgt 121) vs WI 248 & 390 IND won toss, batted
IND won by 7 wkts
KL Rahul’s classy 50 anchors a series-clinching chase under lights!
3
Oct 2-4, 2025
Test (1st)
Ahmedabad
IND 448/5d vs WI 162 & 146 (45.1) IND won toss, batted
IND won by inns & 140 runs
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 173* flattens WI in a 2-day rout!
4
Aug 13, 2023
T20 (5th)
Lauderhill, Florida
IND 165/9 (20) vs WI 171/2 (18) IND won toss, batted
WI won by 8 wkts
Nicholas Pooran’s explosive 67* snatches series 3-2 in style!
5
Aug 12, 2023
T20 (4th)
Lauderhill, Florida
WI 178/8 (20) vs IND 179/1 (17.5) WI won toss, batted
IND won by 9 wkts
Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 77 cruises India to level series!
6
Aug 8, 2023
T20 (3rd)
Lauderhill, Florida
WI 159/5 (20) vs IND 164/3 (18.1) WI won toss, batted
IND won by 7 wkts
Suryakumar Yadav’s acrobatic 83* flips the script!
7
Aug 6, 2023
T20 (2nd)
Tarouba, Trinidad
IND 167/9 (20) vs WI 145 (19.4) IND won toss, batted
IND won by 22 runs
Axar Patel’s 2/16 strangles WI’s chase for a morale booster!
Head-to-Head Record
Format
Matches Played
India Wins
West Indies Wins
Draws / Ties / NR
India Win % (approx.)
Notes / Fun Fact
Tests
102-103
25
30
47
~24%
WI dominated early (last win 2002); India unbeaten in Tests vs WI since 2011!
ODIs
142
72
64
6 (NR)
~51%
India leads strongly post-2000s; classic battles like 1983 WC final vibes linger
T20Is
31
20
10
1 (NR)
~65%
India dominates bilaterals; WI edges in WC meetings (3-1)
Overall
~275-276
~117
~104
~54
~50%+ (India slight edge now)
Epic shift – from WI kings to India’s modern mastery!
Top Run Scorers All-Time
Rank
Player
Team
Matches
Runs
Average
Highest Score
Centuries
Notes / Epic Moments
1
Sunil Gavaskar
IND
~27 Tests + ODIs
~3,500+ (Tests dominant)
~60+
236*
13+
The Little Master owned WI pace attack in Tests – 2749 runs in Tests alone at 65.45!
2
Sachin Tendulkar
IND
50+
~3,200+
~50+
179
5+
Master Blaster’s magic in all formats; massive in ODIs + solid Tests vs WI legends.
3
Clive Lloyd
WI
~28 Tests + ODIs
~3,000+
~55+
242*
7+
Captain Fantastic – led WI dominance in the 70s/80s with big hundreds.
4
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
WI
~40+
~2,800+
~60+
140+
7+
Mr. Consistent – rock-solid in Tests, key accumulator across eras.
5
Rahul Dravid
IND
~35+
~2,500+
~60+
146
5+
The Wall! Superb technique against WI’s fearsome bowlers in Tests.
6
Virat Kohli
IND
40+
~2,200+
~70+
157*
6+
Chase master in ODIs/T20s; insane average & multiple tons vs WI post-2010s.
7
Vivian Richards
WI
~28 Tests + ODIs
~2,200+
~50+
192*
8+
The Master Blaster of his time – brutal & fearless against India.
8
Rohit Sharma
IND
30+
~1,800+
~55+
150+
4+
Hitman thrives in limited-overs; explosive in recent T20/ODI battles.
9
Garry Sobers
WI
Early Tests
~1,900+
~55+
150+
Multiple
All-round legend – massive impact in the early rivalry days.
10
Nicholas Pooran
WI
20+ T20s/ODIs
~1,000+ (T20 heavy)
~40+
100+
1+
Modern power-hitter; top T20 scorer vs IND with explosive knocks!
India vs West Indies Memorable Matches
#
Year/Date
Format & Venue
Key Scores & Result
Epic Highlight / Why Unforgettable
1
June 25, 1983
ODI World Cup Final, Lord’s, London
IND 183 all out (54.4 ov) beat WI 140 all out (by 43 runs)
Kapil Dev’s iconic catch to dismiss Viv Richards + Mohinder Amarnath’s all-round heroics shock the unbeatable two-time champs – India’s first World Cup win changed cricket forever!
2
1971 (2nd Test)
Test, Port of Spain, Trinidad
IND bowled WI out twice & chased to win series 1-0
India’s maiden overseas Test series victory! Spin duo Bedi & Prasanna dismantled WI; Gavaskar’s debut brilliance sparked a new era for Indian cricket. Historic turnaround!
3
2016 (Semi-Final)
T20 World Cup, Wankhede, Mumbai
WI 192/2 beat IND 161/8 (by 6 runs? Wait – actually WI chased in thriller)
Carlos Brathwaite’s FOUR consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes in the final over (wait, that was final vs Eng – but WI’s semi vs IND was high-scoring drama with Pooran & co. powering WI to final). Electric atmosphere in India!
4
1997 (3rd Test)
Test, Kensington Oval, Barbados
WI chased down after IND collapsed from winning position (120 needed)
India on cusp of famous series win in WI after 26 years – but Ambrose, Bishop & Rose ripped through for epic collapse. Heartbreaker for fans, classic Windies fightback!
5
2006 (4th Test)
Test, Sabina Park, Jamaica
IND won by 49 runs (series clincher)
Rahul Dravid’s gritty captaincy ends 35-year drought for series win in Caribbean! Sreesanth’s fiery spells sealed it – massive milestone.
6
1983 (5th Test)
Test, Eden Gardens, Kolkata
WI dominated but Kapil vs Lloyd captaincy battle
Clive Lloyd’s masterclass trumped Kapil Dev – WI bounced back strong after earlier losses. Battle of legends!
7
2007 (T20 WC – but note: IND beat PAK in final; WI path included classics)
Context: WI’s flair in early T20s
Various thrillers
WI’s explosive style shone in inaugural T20 WC; set stage for rivalry fireworks in shortest format.
8
Recent: 2023/2024 series
T20/ODI bilaterals
Mixed results with nail-biters
Pooran’s blitzes, Rohit/SKY fireworks – keeps the fire alive in modern era!
First Encounters and Early Test Series (1974–1983)
The rivalry began in the mid-1970s when West Indies toured India for the first Test series. At that time, India was developing its international presence, while West Indies was emerging as a world-class team with fearsome pace bowlers. These early series were challenging for India, but they offered invaluable experience. Matches were often tense, with individual performances defining outcomes. Legendary players like Sunil Gavaskar for India and Clive Lloyd for West Indies dominated early contests, setting the stage for a competitive rivalry that would grow over the next decades.
Year
Event
Format
Venue
Highlight
1974
West Indies tour of India
Test
India
Intense series with dominant pace bowling
1976
India tour of West Indies
Test
Caribbean
Gavaskar’s solid batting performances
1979
Bilateral ODI matches
ODI
India
Introduction of limited overs clash
1983
ICC Cricket World Cup
ODI
England
Early World Cup encounter
Dominance of West Indies Era (1984–1995)
During the 1980s and early 1990s, West Indies was at the peak of its cricketing powers. With legendary fast bowlers like Malcolm Marshall and batsmen like Viv Richards, they dominated many international teams, including India. India, however, improved steadily with players such as Kapil Dev providing aggressive all-round performances. While West Indies won the majority of contests during this era, India occasionally secured memorable victories, particularly in ODI tournaments, which were becoming increasingly popular. These encounters highlighted contrasting styles: West Indies’ raw power versus India’s emerging strategic depth.
Year
Event
Format
Venue
Highlight
1987
ICC Cricket World Cup
ODI
India / Pakistan
West Indies dominance
1991
Test series
Test
West Indies
Competitive batting by India
1992
ICC Cricket World Cup
ODI
Australia / New Zealand
Close matches
1995
Bilateral ODI series
ODI
India
India improving consistency
Modern Era Rivalry and Competitive Matches (1996–2010)
In the late 1990s and 2000s, India and West Indies faced each other regularly in both bilateral series and ICC tournaments. West Indies’ dominance had begun to decline, while India emerged as a formidable cricketing nation with players like Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble. Matches were more evenly contested, featuring remarkable batting partnerships, key bowling spells, and nail-biting finishes. ODIs became especially competitive, and T20 cricket later added a new exciting dimension to the rivalry. The contests during this era helped balance the competitive edge, with victories often swinging between the two sides.
Year
Event
Format
Venue
Highlight
1999
ICC Cricket World Cup
ODI
England
Tendulkar brilliance
2002
Bilateral series
Test / ODI
West Indies
Competitive matches
2007
ICC World T20
T20
South Africa
New format rivalry begins
2010
ODI series
ODI
India
Exciting high-scoring games
Recent Timeline and Current Rivalry (2011–2025)
In recent years, the rivalry between India and West Indies has focused more on limited-overs cricket. West Indies excel in T20s with power-hitting and dynamic bowling, while India has built balanced squads capable of winning in all formats. Matches in the ICC World T20, bilateral series, and Asia Cup tournaments have been competitive, featuring thrilling finishes and outstanding individual performances. While India usually has the upper hand in Tests and ODIs, West Indies can dominate in shorter formats, making every encounter unpredictable and exciting for fans worldwide.
Year
Event
Format
Venue
Highlight
2012
ICC World T20
T20
Sri Lanka
West Indies power-hitting
2016
ICC World T20
T20
India
High-pressure matches
2019
Bilateral ODI series
ODI
India
India dominance in ODIs
2021
T20 series
T20
West Indies
Close and thrilling encounters
2024
Future ICC events
All formats
Various venues
Rising talents in both teams
Conclusion
The rivalry between the West Indies Cricket Team and the India National Cricket Team has evolved over decades from early Test series to high-intensity limited overs contests. West Indies’ era of dominance showcased raw power and fearsome pace bowling, while India’s growth brought strategic depth, consistency, and legendary batting performances. Today, this rivalry remains exciting in T20s and ODIs, with unpredictable outcomes and high-energy matches. As both teams continue to nurture talented players, encounters between India and West Indies will remain a key highlight in international cricket, offering fans thrilling moments and competitive cricket for years to come.
