India’s bowling attack faltered as West Indies successfully pursued 249 in the second T20I at JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on October 9, 2026. Shai Hope struck an unbeaten 102 from 45 deliveries while Sherfane Rutherford contributed 84 from 37 balls, combining for a 120-run partnership that guided the visitors to victory in 18.3 overs. India had posted 249 for 5 through Sanju Samson’s 82 off 41 balls and Tilak Varma’s 44 off 18 balls, yet the total proved insufficient. The result drew the five-match series level at 1-1, with Shreyas Iyer captaining India and Shai Hope leading West Indies.
The off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin pointed to a lack of emphasis on grooming bowlers equipped to handle challenging conditions and suggested that tactical decisions during the match had compounded the problem.
“It’s not that I’m blaming the bowlers, but we don’t have enough quality in our bowling, and we haven’t placed enough emphasis on developing it. That is why the chances of producing high-quality bowlers remain quite low. I really hope we spend some time grooming high-quality bowlers because bowling in such conditions requires understanding and game awareness. I felt that was lacking a little today.” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin’s concerns over bowling quality and development
Ashwin drew a comparison between India’s current bowling resources and the advantage enjoyed by previous captains. He pointed to Jasprit Bumrah as an exceptional talent whose presence had provided a significant edge during earlier periods of Indian cricket. Ashwin noted that Bumrah possessed the rare ability to bowl defensively when required and deploy a varied range of slower deliveries, qualities that set him apart from most bowlers in the international game.
“Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav were both fortunate in a way because, as captains, they had a cheat code in the form of Jasprit Bumrah. He can bowl defensively when required, and he also has a good variety of slower deliveries. But not many bowlers are that gifted, and I am genuinely worried about the future of Indian bowling,” Ashwin said.
Tactical decisions questioned after West Indies chase
Ashwin also critiqued specific tactical decisions made during the match. He felt that India lacked defensive bowling options and questioned the timing of Shivam Dube’s introduction into the attack immediately after the powerplay. Mayank Yadav had taken the first two or three wickets within the opening six overs, reducing West Indies to 5 for 2, yet Ashwin suggested that Kuldeep Yadav should have been brought into the bowling rotation earlier to capitalise on that advantage.
“250 was a good score. I just feel India lacked a bit of defensive bowling. I mean, Shivam Dube was brought into the attack immediately after the powerplay. I think both captains, whether it was Shai Hope or Shreyas Iyer, had very average days today. Mayank Yadav picked up the first two or three wickets inside six overs, it would have been time to bring Kuldeep Yadav into the attack a little earlier,” Ashwin said.
