Former India batter Aakash Chopra has criticised India’s bowling performance following their 24-run defeat to the West Indies in the fourth T20I at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on October 14, 2026. Chopra pointed to India’s failure to adapt to the conditions and use effective variations, arguing that the visitors executed their plans far better to secure a crucial victory and level the five-match series 2-2.
Batting first, the West Indies piled up 247/3 in 20 overs, powered by a sensational unbeaten century from Shai Hope. The opener smashed 102 off 50 deliveries, becoming the first West Indies player to register three centuries in T20I cricket. India responded with an aggressive approach but were eventually bowled out for 223 in 19.3 overs, falling 24 runs short of the target.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra described India’s bowling as ordinary and questioned why the team failed to use the slower deliveries that proved effective for the West Indies. According to him, the Hyderabad surface appeared flat when India bowled, but the visitors made better use of their variations during the chase.
“The bowling was ordinary. It seemed like the pitch was flat when the Indian team was bowling. It seemed like something started happening on the pitch when India came to bat because the West Indies bowled a lot of into-the-pitch slower ones, which we didn’t do,” Aakash Chopra said.
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He further highlighted India’s limited use of slower balls and the number of full tosses that allowed West Indies batters to score freely. “We bowled only around nine slower ones, which was not right. We were also serving full tosses. Our bowling was actually quite ordinary, and the West Indies made the most of it, thrashed us a lot, and reached close to 250,” Chopra added.
India’s chase began positively, with Sanju Samson producing an explosive 56-run knock. Chopra praised the wicketkeeper-batter’s aggressive approach and familiarity with the Hyderabad ground, where he had previously enjoyed a memorable outing, including hitting five sixes in an over against Rishad Hossain.
However, Samson’s dismissal shifted the momentum. Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy could not sustain the required scoring rate despite brief periods of resistance. Aakash Chopra acknowledged that India showed signs of a comeback but credited the West Indies bowling attack for closing the door on the hosts.
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The decisive contribution came from Keemo Paul, who claimed five wickets for 41 runs. His performance dismantled India’s batting order at a crucial stage and played a major role in the visitors’ 24-run victory. With the series level at 2-2, India will need to address their bowling execution and improve their response under pressure ahead of the fifth and final T20I.
