Ranchi, Oct 10 (IANS) India head coach Gautam Gambhir has called for a more competitive contest between bat and ball and urged his side to address its bowling shortcomings after the West Indies chased down 250 against India in the second T20I in Ranchi, winning by six wickets to level the five-match series at 1-1.
Despite India reducing the visitors to 58 for three inside the powerplay, Shai Hope’s unbeaten century and Sherfane Rutherford’s explosive 84 powered the West Indies to their highest successful T20I chase, exposing India’s inability to defend a formidable total in dew-laden conditions.
Reflecting on the defeat, Gambhir stressed that India could not afford to overlook their shortcomings, even as he acknowledged the difficulties of bowling on a batting-friendly surface. He also made it clear that the team’s status as world champions should raise its expectations rather than shield it from criticism.
“You don’t shrug off any defeat. If you want to keep improving, you don’t want to put anything under the carpet. We are a world-champion team so we want to keep improving. These are obviously tough conditions to bowl - we know flat wickets with the dew - obviously it’s tough but we need to figure out and find the way.
“Especially with the opposition having lost two wickets in the first over and then lost three wickets in the powerplay. But again, credit to the West Indies, the way Shai Hope and Sherfane batted, we know they are world-class batters, especially in the format. It was tough on us but we’re going to keep improving,” Gambhir told the media in the post-game press conference.
The result also renewed questions about the balance between bat and ball in high-scoring T20 cricket. India posted 249 for five, with Sanju Samson leading the charge with 82 off 41 balls and Tilak Varma contributing 44, but the West Indies batters made light of the target with a relentless assault.
Asked about the nature of the contest, Gambhir emphasised that conditions should allow bowlers a fair opportunity to compete rather than leave them at the mercy of the batters.
“You don’t want a good bat-and-ball competition?” Gambhir asked. “What you want to see, that’s also what we want to see. We also want to see an even contest.
“These bowlers are our bowlers, not someone else’s bowlers. Their careers are at stake, they have worked hard to sit in this dressing room. If it’s an even competition, we’ll see a better game of cricket.”
India had appeared to seize control when Mayank Yadav struck twice in the opening over and removed another batter early in the sixth. However, Hope and Rutherford dismantled the attack through a 120-run partnership, with Rutherford smashing 84 off 37 deliveries before Hope completed an unbeaten 102.
Gambhir backed Mayank’s decision to rely on pace rather than take the pressure off with slower deliveries, saying the young quick had followed the approach expected of a fast bowler.
“He is a fast bowler, he should bowl like a fast bowler,” Gambhir said of Mayank’s spell. “He isn’t a slower bowler. If you can bowl 150kph, bowl at 150kph, if you bowl at 120kph, bowl at 120kph. When you are playing as a fast bowler, it is your responsibility to bowl fast. And he did that today, getting success,” he stated.
--IANS
