Sunil Gavaskar, who formerly captained India, called on the country's batters to shoulder more of the burden when pursuing totals, following the side's 24-run loss to the West Indies in Wednesday's fourth T20 International at Hyderabad.
Samson's 56 off 23 balls gave India a late charge, yet the side's total fell short of the 247 for three that West Indies had set. Keemo Paul's five-wicket haul reduced India to 223 all out, setting up a fifth and deciding match in Bengaluru.
Across the order, batters had yet to produce the kind of measured, consistent contributions the team's position demanded. Gavaskar conveyed to a prominent news channel that the batting unit's willingness to own their performances would determine whether this Indian team could achieve the results it was looking for.
In his view, India left runs on the table by not capitalising on a pitch that favoured batting, particularly once dew set in to assist those at the crease. Gavaskar also held that India left runs on the table after Samson's contribution at the top, with the platform Samson constructed going largely unexploited by the batters who followed.
Sharma's innings fell below the level his previous performances had led observers to expect. Gavaskar observed that Ishan Kishan walked into a delivery set up by Keemo Paul, while Shreyas Iyer had yet to find any real momentum following the century he posted earlier.
Gavaskar stood by the India bowlers, noting in his remarks that a lack of international experience meant they would require time to develop at that level, even after the opposition had posted a large total. "Yes, I know the bowling has been poor, but these bowlers are not experienced," he said. He pointed out that players still finding their footing at the international level will inevitably give away runs on occasion, characterising it as a natural part of developing within the sport.
Cheteshwar Pujara, who played as a batter for India, offered praise for West Indies captain Shai Hope after Hope's second hundred of the series helped his side build a substantial total. Pujara noted that what set the captain apart was his tendency to construct innings through placement and timing rather than indiscriminate hitting.
Pujara described Hope as someone who reads the field and threads the ball into available space, trusting his instincts. In Pujara's assessment, Hope's approach of accumulating runs at pace while keeping exposure to risk low accounted for the pattern of his innings. His ability to handle spin was also on display, with the surface offering spinners conditions that batters found difficult to manage, and Pujara noted that Hope's thinking at that point was notably focused. Pujara further observed that once a batter establishes that degree of shot-placement control, the bowling side finds it harder to generate any sustained pressure.
