Sunil Gavaskar Warns India Ahead of Match Against West Indies

Sunil Gavaskar praised India’s 72-run win over Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup 2026 but warned that they cannot take the West Indies lightly.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar praised Team India after the 76-run defeat to South Africa in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2026. India bounced back with a 72-run win over Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya took India to 256. Gavaskar supported the decision to bring in Sanju Samson as an opener to adjust the left-heavy top order. Samson scored 24 and added quick runs in the Powerplay alongside Abhishek. He noted that earlier openers had struggled, including Abhishek’s three ducks and Ishan Kishan’s dismissal for 0 against South Africa.

Gavaskar also credited the bowling unit. He highlighted Axar Patel’s control and wicket after his return. However, despite the strong display, Gavaskar cautioned India about the West Indies’ batting strength.

“India bounced back strongly from the South Africa loss with a dominant win over Zimbabwe. The margin of that defeat against South Africa would have shaken the players, but they used it positively versus Sikandar Raza’s team and made a strong comeback. After the match against South Africa, there was debate about whether India should make changes in the playing XI or not, and they made two changes and both worked out quite well,” Gavaskar said on JioStar.

READ ALSO | ‘Better Bat Swing Than Yuvraj’: R. Ashwin Backs Abhishek Sharma

“Sanju Samson didn’t get a fifty, but gave India a flying start. Earlier, openers were getting ducks, with Abhishek Sharma getting out for zero runs in three games while Ishan Kishan got out without scoring runs against South Africa. Against Zimbabwe, Samson scored 24 runs in quick fashion. He and Abhishek scored at over 10 runs an over in the Powerplay, which was fantastic,” he continued.

“The bowling improved, too. Axar Patel kept things tight and picked a wicket, which was missing against South Africa. Scoring 256 with most batters getting time in the middle is great. It builds confidence. But India cannot take the West Indies lightly. Sunday’s match decides if they go to the semis or wait for the 2028 T20 World Cup,” Sunil Gavaskar added.

Semi-Final Spot on the Line on March 1

Sunil Gavaskar then described the West Indies as a far tougher challenge. Their batters attack from the first ball and maintain pressure throughout the innings. He added that their bowlers also capitalise on mistakes.

“As they say, why fix things if it ain’t broke? But India were broken against South Africa. They realised they needed a right-left combination at the top. Learning from the previous game was very important. Now West Indies is a completely different challenge. They cannot be taken for granted. Their batters are in top form. Their bowlers are doing well. They punish opposition mistakes and strike at the right time,” he said.

“India will need a good plan to handle the West Indies batting threat. Their batters start playing shots from ball one. They do not wait to see if the delivery needs respect. Their way of respecting the ball is by hitting it over the ropes. So, India will have to play smart, come up with plans, and outfox West Indies in a way they do not expect. Sunday’s match is surely going to be a cracking one,” Gavaskar concluded.

India face the West Indies at Eden Gardens on March 1. The winner will move into the semi-finals, while the loser will exit the T20 World Cup 2026.