Despite emerging as favourites, Hardik Pandya-led Team India were handed a reality check by West Indies in the recently-concluded T20I series, which the latter won 3-2. The series began with India losing the opening two matches after a poor show by the batters on both occasions. The Men In Blue then bounced back convincingly in the third and fourth T20Is, setting up an exciting series decider.
However, the batters once again crumbled in the finale as regular jolts restricted India to a modest 165/9 in 20 overs. West Indies in return wrapped the 166-chase with two overs to spare and won the match by eight wickets.
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With West Indies cricket hitting a new low after failing to qualify for the ODI World Cup, and the Indian unit filled with IPL achievers, the Men In Blue were expected to finish as runaway winners. The team managed to overpower the opposition in Tests and ODIs, but the long tour ended on a sour note.
While the anger and harsh criticism from fans and experts is understandable, India's batting legend Sunil Gavaskar feels there should be “no shame in losing” to West Indies. Citing the resources West Indies have for the shorter format and their past records, Gavaskar feels this outcome should rather serve as an eye opener.
{{/usCountry}}While the anger and harsh criticism from fans and experts is understandable, India's batting legend Sunil Gavaskar feels there should be “no shame in losing” to West Indies. Citing the resources West Indies have for the shorter format and their past records, Gavaskar feels this outcome should rather serve as an eye opener.
{{/usCountry}}“The loss to West Indies should not be a dampener. Don’t forget that they have won the ICC T20 World Cup twice, and their players are matchwinners for the different franchises they play for in the IPL. So they are a top-class T20 team, and there’s no shame in losing to them.
"It should be a wake-up call, to see the areas where India needs to improve to strengthen its side. Some of those who were rested for this series may not be around for too long, so their replacements need to be found pretty quickly too, as the next ICC T20 World Cup is just a year away,” he wrote in his column for Sportstar.
With an eye on the 2024 T20 World Cup, the management has kept senior pros Virat and Rohit away from the T20I setup. This has been the stance since the 10-wicket humiliation against England at the T20 World Cup semifinal last year.
Hardik has mostly led the side in Rohit's absence, and Jasprit Bumrah, who is returning to the scene after a long injury layoff, will be leading the side in a three-match T20I series against Ireland, which starts from Friday.