India head coach
While heavy dew and a dropped catch by Mayank Yadav—when
Gambhir stresses need for consistency
Reflecting on the loss, Gambhir stated that the team cannot afford to ignore the shortcomings exposed during the match. He noted that while bowling on flat, dew-affected surfaces is undeniably difficult, the squad must develop strategies to contain opponents even after securing early breakthroughs. The West Indies had been reduced to three wickets within the first six overs, yet they managed to recover through a dominant partnership.
The head coach also addressed the performance of Mayank Yadav, who provided a blistering start by dismissing Kamil Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer in the opening over. Gambhir praised the fast bowler for maintaining his natural pace, which reached 149 kmph during the dismissal of Rovman Powell, and insisted that a bowler’s primary duty is to play to their strengths regardless of the match situation.
Record-breaking chase led by Hope and Rutherford
The West Indies' pursuit was anchored by a spectacular display from
India’s total had been built on a strong foundation provided by Sanju Samson, who scored 82, and a 97-run second-wicket stand with Ishan Kishan, who added 43. Late-innings contributions from Shreyas Iyer and an unbeaten 44 from Tilak Varma helped India reach their highest-ever T20I total against the West Indies. Despite the batting success, Gambhir reiterated that the match was ultimately decided by the team's inability to defend the total over the full 40 overs, calling for a more balanced contest between bat and ball in future fixtures.
