Shubman Gill highlights key areas India need to improve after 3rd ODI loss vs WI

The three-match ODI series between India and West Indies was completed, where the Men in Blue successfully defeated West Indies to seal the series 2-1. However, West Indies won the last game as their captain, Shai Hope, displayed an explosive knock for his side to finish the game on a positive note.

After losing the last game by five wickets, Indian captain Shubman Gill was happy with his team’s 2-1 ODI series win over West Indies, even though India lost the third and final match by five wickets on Saturday. However, Gill said the team needs to improve its fielding and bowling in the last few overs.

India batted first and scored 351/7. Rohit Sharma scored 92, while Ruturaj Gaikwad made 57 as they shared a 137-run stand. KL Rahul then scored an unbeaten 129 off 87 balls, his best score in ODIs.

West Indies chased the target with the help of captain Shai Hope, who scored 162 not out at a strike rate of 113.29. It was West Indies’ highest successful chase in ODIs and their first ODI win over India since 2023.

“A lot of boxes ticked. I think there are still some areas that definitely need some fine-tuning. I was very happy with the total. I think the game was in control. But being behind four overs with this team and then in the last, I think they took the game away from us. Had we not been shortened the overs, the game might have gone to the last over.

“Death bowling as well. I feel, sometimes we are not really clear whether we are attacking or we are defending, especially when we are bowling the death overs. One day, such a game, if the opposition is five or six down, you are never really sure what fields to take, whether we are going for the death too early or we are still bowling kind of like middle overs. I think these are some areas which definitely we need to be better at,” Gill said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

He also explained why he did not use Kuldeep Yadav’s remaining overs, saying that an injury concern around Gurnoor Brar forced him to wait before making the move.

“No, not really. We didn’t know if Gurnoor was gonna come back and bowl with his cramps. So there was a bit of uncertainty there. And we knew the match was gonna go till the end. And he’s a wicket-taker, and I wanted his couple of overs to be there in the end,” he said.