Team India left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh backed India’s playing XI that took the field in the first T20I against West Indies on Thursday, August 3. While many questioned India’s long tail in the wake of their four-run defeat, Arshdeep Singh brushed aside the criticism, claiming that such things are often said when the team lose. Notably, India lost the game as well.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Arshdeep said, “Not really. Such things always come up after the end of the game. We were confident of winning the match with the playing XI we fielded. We always back our team and the playing XI. Whether there are six bowlers or nine, it doesn’t matter. The 11 players who take the field back each other to win the match from any situation.”

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The youngster, however, agreed that Team India needed one batter to stay till the end to chase the total. He commented: “I guess we needed one batter to stay till the end because in their last two overs, five fielders were inside the 30-yard circle.”

However, Team India were at 113/4 after 15 overs. Jason Holder, however, bowled Indian captain Hardik Pandya (19) with the first ball of the 16th over and a few balls later, Kyle Mayers ran out Sanju Samson (12) with a brilliant direct hit as well. And, then India failed to reach the total.

“We will review the match. We will analyze what we could have done better in the first innings. Where we could we have stopped more runs and, as a batting unit in the second innings, where we missed the finishing bit,” Arshdeep Singh concluded.

However, the second T20I against West Indies series will be played at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Sunday, August 6 as well.