Sunil Gavaskar says batters must take blame for India loss against West Indies

Former captain Sunil Gavaskar said Indian batters need to play with more responsibility during run chases following a 24-run defeat to West Indies in the fourth T20 match. India failed to dominate on a pitch in Hyderabad that heavily favored batting. Gavaskar noted that Sanju Samson gave the team a great start, but the side failed to make use of it. Abhishek Sharma did not play an innings matching his usual level at the start, and Ishan Kishan easily fell into a trap set by Keemo Paul. Shreyas Iyer also failed to play a big innings following his century in the first match. However, Gavaskar defended the bowling unit, stating that the bowlers cannot be blamed. He admitted their performance was poor, but pointed out that they are youngsters who will learn from their failures. Meanwhile, former cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara shared his view that West Indies captain Shai Hope has become a major headache for India, praising his clarity and control on the game which makes it hard for Indian bowlers to put pressure on him.

Context

Cricket analysts and former players often review team performances closely after losses in short-format series. Young players in transitional squads frequently face steep learning curves when playing against experienced international captains.