India’s dominant 72-run win over Zimbabwe provided a much-needed boost to the defending champions helping to settle the team's nerves as they progress through the tournament. However, despite the momentum gained from that comfortable win, legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar has issued a stern warning against complacency right ahead of the do-or-die clash against West Indies in their final T20 World Cup Super 8 clash.
Gavaskar's strict warning to India ahead of West Indies clash
Gavaskar emphasised that the squad cannot afford to underestimate the West Indies, who are two-time champions themselves. To move forward, India must develop precise, intelligent strategies to neutralise the explosive batting power of the Windies lineup.
"As they say, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'. 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 the 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," Gavaskar said on JioStar.
“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 the West Indies in a way they do not expect. Sunday's match is surely going to be a cracking one," he added.
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Gavaskar praised the resilient way the Indian squad regrouped following their massive 76-run defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad. He specifically highlighted the effective adjustments made to the batting order and the marked improvement in the team's overall bowling performance as key factors in their recovery. According to Gavaskar, the heavy margin of the South African loss could have easily rattled the players' confidence. Instead, they channeled that setback into a positive force, delivering a dominant performance against Sikandar Raza’s Zimbabwe side to prove they had successfully bounced back.
“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. 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. 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," Gavaskar further added.
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Gavaskar comes to Sanju Samson's defence
The 76-year-old singled out Sanju Samson’s explosive cameo of 24 as the defining moment of the Indian innings. He noted that this brief but impactful performance provided the necessary momentum to propel the team toward a massive total of 256/4, effectively setting the tone for the rest of the match. The legendary opener was particularly impressed by Samson's technical prowess, highlighting a specific six hit off the back foot that soared straight over long-off. Gavaskar remarked that such a shot is incredibly difficult to execute, as most players would naturally pull that delivery toward mid-wicket. He praised Samson’s class and elegance, citing a subsequent six over long-on as further proof of his exceptional talent.
“In the interest of the team, he went for a big hit and got out. That is fine because he got India off to a flying start. In a tournament like the T20 World Cup, that is important. A flying start gives a nice platform for the other batters to come in and smash the ball around," he concluded.