Sports · Cricket · 3 hrs ago
Gavaskar blames India's bowling for loss to West Indies, not the pitch
India lost the fourth T20I to the West Indies by 24 runs in Hyderabad, leaving the five-match series tied 2-2.
The West Indies made 247 for three, and India finished on 223 for nine.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said India's bowlers failed to execute their plans, rather than the pitch being to blame.
He pointed to too many full tosses and poor lengths, saying accurate deliveries and yorkers brought the West Indies success.
India captain Shreyas Iyer also said poor bowling execution put his team on the back foot.
The pitch had been relaid and offered some bounce, but Gavaskar said the bowlers needed to use the conditions better.
The teams meet in Bengaluru on Saturday for the series decider.
Sunil Gavaskar blamed India's bowling, not the pitch, for the team's 24-run defeat to the West Indies in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad.
He said India's bowlers gave away too many full tosses and failed to bowl the right lengths.
India captain Shreyas Iyer also said poor execution with the ball put his team on the back foot.
The West Indies scored 247 for three, while India finished on 223 for nine in 19.3 overs.
The result levelled the five-match series at 2-2, with the decider set for Bengaluru.
- Who
- Sunil Gavaskar criticised India's bowling after the defeat. India played the West Indies.
- What
- India lost the fourth T20I by 24 runs. Gavaskar blamed poor bowling lengths and full tosses rather than the pitch.
- When
- The fourth T20I was played before the article was published on October 14, 2026. The article's dateline gives October 15, 2026.
- Where
- Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, India.
- Why
- Gavaskar said India's bowlers failed to execute their plans and gave the West Indies scoring opportunities.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The West Indies scored 247 for three and defeated India by 24 runs in Hyderabad.
Gavaskar said India's bowling, rather than the pitch, was responsible for the loss.
Iyer acknowledged that India had not executed its bowling plans well.
India and the West Indies were due to play the series decider at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
- Defeat margin
- 24 runs
- West Indies total
- 247 for three
- India total
- 223 for nine in 19.3 overs
- Series score
- 2-2 after the fourth T20I
- Next match venue
- M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
What people are saying
If you bowl full tosses, the pitch isn't to blame
Only later, when they bowled the right length or delivered yorkers, did they find success
We didn't execute our line and lengths well and, at the end of the day, when you're chasing 250, you have to go about it in a certain pattern