India head coach Gautam Gambhir refused to single out any player after India failed to defend a massive total of 249 runs against the West Indies in the second T20 International in Ranchi on Friday.
Despite posting 249 for five in 20 overs, India lost by six wickets as the visitors reached the target in 18.3 overs. The result levelled the five-match series at 1-1 and highlighted India’s difficulties in containing an aggressive batting lineup under challenging conditions.
Speaking after the match, Gambhir acknowledged that India had failed to defend a total they considered sufficient for victory. Rather than blaming individual players or specific incidents, he credited the West Indies for their batting performance and accepted that the Indian team had areas requiring improvement. He stressed that the focus should remain on learning from the defeat and finding better ways to protect big totals in high-scoring matches.
Gambhir also praised West Indies all-rounder Roston Chase for his effective bowling spell. Chase finished with figures of three wickets for 24 runs, dismissing Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Shivam Dube during the middle overs. Gambhir highlighted how Chase varied his line and length, forcing Indian batters to adjust their approach. He said bowlers must constantly change their tactics rather than repeatedly delivering the same type of ball against dangerous opponents.
India’s batting effort was led by Sanju Samson, who scored 82 runs, while contributions from Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma helped the hosts reach an imposing total. However, the West Indies responded with an exceptional chase led by captain Shai Hope, who remained unbeaten on 102, and Sherfane Rutherford, who scored 84. Their 120-run partnership put the visitors firmly in control after India had made an early breakthrough. A dropped catch by Mayank Yadav also proved costly, allowing Rutherford to continue his innings.
Gambhir declined to blame the dropped catch, explaining that fielding mistakes are part of cricket and are rarely deliberate. He also acknowledged that India needed to improve their ability to defend large scores, particularly against teams capable of sustaining an aggressive scoring rate. The defeat provided the Indian side with important lessons ahead of the remaining matches, with bowling variations, fielding execution and adaptability likely to remain key areas of focus as the series continues.