West Indies vs India T20I Series Report Card

The West Indies handed India a surprise 3-2 defeat in the five-match T20I series in the Caribbean, with Rovman Powell’s side outplaying their counterparts to win their first series against the Men in Blue since 2017. Team India selected an experimental side for the T20I leg of the tour, resting senior statesmen like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma while giving a chance to an array of youngsters, and here is our report card for the five-match series.

Tilak Varma – 8/10

Tilak Varma enjoyed the perfect debut series in international cricket, with the young left-hander top-scoring for the Men in Blue across the five matches. Varma became India’s second-youngest half-centurion in T20Is with his effort in the 2^nd T20I and scored 173 runs in the series at a respectable strike rate of 140.65 on challenging batting surfaces.

Shubman Gill – 5/10

It was a series to forget for Shubman Gill in the Caribbean, with the opener unable to carry on his form for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League against the West Indies. Gill managed just 102 runs in five innings at the top of the order at a below-par strike rate of 120 and was troubled by the left-arm spin of Akeal Hosein throughout the series.

Nicholas Pooran – 8/10

Nicholas Pooran made an immediate impact on his return to the West Indies side, scoring 176 runs across the five matches to earn the Player of the Series award. The left-hander was the difference between the two sides in the series, single-handedly winning the 2nd T20I for the hosts with his sensational 40-ball 67 before guiding the West Indies to victory in the decider in Florida alongside Brandon King.

Hardik Pandya – 4/10

Hardik Pandya endured a difficult outing in the Caribbean, as the Indian skipper failed to impress with the bat, ball, or on the field. The all-rounder managed four wickets in the series at an economy rate of 8.40 while scoring just 77 runs in four innings, including a match-losing 18-ball 14 in the final T20I in Florida. More concerningly, Pandya’s usage of bowlers left a lot to be desired, with his mismanagement of the resources playing a part in India’s defeat.  

Kuldeep Yadav – 7/10

Kuldeep Yadav was the star man with the ball for team India in this series, picking up six wickets at an economy rate of just 5.75. The wrist-spinner displayed tremendous consistency across the four matches he featured in, and this strong form should bode well for the Men in Blue with two World Cups on the horizon over the next 12 months.