10 October,2026 01:38 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Gautam Gambhir. Pic/AFP
Following West Indies' record-breaking run chase that handed them a six-wicket victory in the second T20I, India head coach Gautam Gambhir pointed to Roston Chase's middle-over spell as a crucial turning point.
Chase stifled India's momentum after an explosive start, picking up three wickets for twenty-four runs by removing Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Shivam Dube.
"If you look at the context of the game, it was a game-changing, match-winning spell. The way he changed his lines was important on this wicket. But against dangerous teams like West Indies, we need to find a way to defend totals," Gambhir stated during the post-match press conference.
Highlighting the spinner's tactical discipline, Gambhir explained how his versatility hurt the Indian batting lineup.
"You have to keep changing your lines and make the batters guess. If you keep bowling the same line and length, they can settle in. He bowled at the batters' legs, went wide and bowled full. He kept changing his approach, and those variations are very important on wickets like these," Gambhir added.
Earlier, India put up a formidable total of 249 for 5, after Sanju Samson's sparkling 82 alongside fast-paced contributions from Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma. However, the visitors successfully chased the target in 18.3 overs.
"I don't blame anyone or anything. The bottom line is that we could not defend 250. They batted extremely well and deserved to win. We still have a lot of work to do."
During the chase, a dropped catch by Mayank Yadav offered a reprieve to Sherfane Rutherford, who capitalised on the chance to score 84 runs and anchor a match-winning, 120-run partnership alongside Shai Hope, who remained unbeaten on 102.
Addressing the fielding lapse and the toss, Gambhir remained optimistic.
"The toss is not in your hands. Catches get dropped; it has happened in the past and will happen in the future. Nobody drops catches intentionally, so you cannot blame anyone for that. I don't know if there is a safe total. We thought 250 was a good score, especially after taking two early wickets. But credit to the West Indies for what they achieved with the bat," he concluded.
