We must find ways to defend totals: Team India's head coach Gautam Gambhir

[[{“value”:”

[popcorn number=”501″ desc=”No. of runs scored by India and West Indies combined — the second-highest match aggregate in men’s T20Is” class=”Default”]

[popcorn number=”252″ desc=”No. of runs scored by West Indies against India on Friday — the second-highest run chase in men’s T20Is” class=”Default”] 

India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Friday credited Roston Chase’s disciplined spell in the middle overs for checking India’s charge, but said the hosts needed to find ways to defend big totals after West Indies pulled off a record chase to win the second T20I by six wickets here.

Chase returned figures of 3-24, dismissing Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Shivam Dube in the middle overs to slow India down after a flying start.

Gautam Gambhir

“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 said in the post-match press conference.

“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 said.

WI skipper Shai Hope during his unbeaten 102 against India in Ranchi on Friday

India posted 249-5, powered by Samson’s 82 and rapid knocks from Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma, but West Indies chased down 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,” he added.

Mayank Yadav dropped a sitter as Sherfane Rutherford went on to score 84 in a match-winning 120-run partnership with Shai Hope (102 not out).

“Catches get dropped. 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,” he added. 

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