Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has defended the Hyderabad pitch following India’s 24-run defeat to the West Indies in the fourth T20I, arguing that poor bowling execution, rather than the surface, was a major reason behind the result. India conceded a massive 247/3 in 20 overs before managing 223/9 in reply, allowing the visitors to level the five-match T20I series 2-2 and set up an exciting series decider.
Gavaskar believes India’s bowlers must take responsibility for their performance instead of putting the blame on the pitch. He particularly highlighted the number of full tosses and deliveries that missed their intended lengths, giving the opposition batters opportunities to score freely. His comments come amid an ongoing debate over Indian pitches, with head coach Gautam Gambhir also expressing his preference for surfaces that offer a more balanced contest between bat and ball.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Sunil Gavaskar pointed out that both teams made mistakes during the fourth T20I. While the West Indies bowlers struggled to contain India during the partnership between Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy, they eventually improved their accuracy and managed to regain control. According to Gavaskar, their change in execution demonstrated why bowlers cannot blame the conditions when they fail to deliver the ball in the right areas.
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“Even the West Indies bowlers made quite a few errors while the partnership between Tilak Varma and Nitish was developing; they bowled too many full tosses. We often talk about pitches and blame them, claiming they offer no assistance to the bowlers. But if you bowl full tosses, the pitch isn’t to blame,” Sunil Gavaskar said.
He further explained that the West Indies found success once their bowlers started hitting the right lengths and delivering accurate yorkers, underlining the importance of execution in high-scoring T20 matches.
The visitors’ batting performance played a crucial role in their victory. Shai Hope remained unbeaten on 102, while Shimron Hetmyer provided a late flourish with 33 runs off just 12 deliveries, helping the West Indies post 247/3. India responded aggressively, with Sanju Samson smashing 56 off 23 balls, while Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy also contributed during the chase. However, the hosts eventually fell short by 24 runs.
India captain Shreyas Iyer offered a slightly different assessment of the Hyderabad surface, acknowledging that it had started to hold up and produce additional bounce during the middle overs. Nevertheless, he credited the West Indies bowlers for adjusting their plans according to the conditions and using the field placements effectively when India threatened to take control. “Yeah, it was holding a bit and there was some more bounce as well. But knowing that, I feel the bowlers realised it,” Iyer said after the fourth T20I.
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Despite the setback, Iyer backed India’s aggressive batting approach ahead of the series decider. He pointed to the team’s ability to score 248 in the previous match and chase a target of 248 against the West Indies in Hyderabad as evidence of the players’ positive intent. He stressed that India must focus on execution, maintain a fresh mindset and seize crucial moments rather than dwell on the bowling performance.
With the five-match series level at 2-2, the final T20I promises to be a competitive encounter, with both teams looking to finish the series on a winning note.
