Abhishek Sharma could hurt the West Indies, both with the bat and ball.
| Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak
A 10-match winning streak is no mean feat. In the fickle realm of T20Is, it carries even greater weight.
Also read | IND vs WI first T20I: Shreyas makes it a cakewalk for India
The Men in Blue last suffered a loss in the shortest format a long time ago (July 11, 2026 vs England in Southampton). Admittedly, their subsequent 10-game unbeaten run came largely against modest opposition — three games each against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, one against Japan, one each versus second-string Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the Asian Games, followed by the series opener against the West Indies.
To stretch that winning streak to 11 in completed T20Is, India must overcome the Windies at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi on Friday (October 9, 2026).
Though the Lucknow fixture proved to be a walk in the park, Shreyas Iyer & Co. cannot take things lightly.
The visitors bat deep, and India got a firsthand glimpse of their power-hitting prowess on Tuesday (October 6). Rallying to post 171 after being 135 for eight was to the Men in Maroon’s immense credit. The downside, however, is a monotonous bowling attack, with all-rounders like Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde and Shamar Springer posing little threat with their right-arm medium pace.
The bowling figures from the first T20I tell a simple story: while Akeal Hosein was the lone West Indian to go at under 10 an over, Mayank Yadav was the only Indian to touch a double-digit economy rate.
The West Indies must find a way to strike a better balance to reverse this statistic.
India, on the other hand, had everything go its way.
Right from winning the toss and introducing spin in the fourth over to smashing a century, skipper Shreyas hardly put a foot wrong in Lucknow. Shreyas’ acceleration towards the three-figure mark, with India needing just 65 when he reached his half-century, proved why he is so highly rated in the format.
The think-tank will also be pleased with the spinners’ performance, with Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Naman Dhir accounting for seven West Indies batters.
The curiosity surrounding Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s inclusion in the playing XI has been a regular fixture of late, and the eve of the second T20I was no different.
“The team has not been decided yet, so I don’t know. The chances are there for everyone in the 15,” Sitanshu Kotak said.
The batting coach’s non-committal comment notwithstanding, Sanju Samson is expected to keep his spot.
It sure helps Samson’s case that India has been consistently winning. Whether the Men in Blue can extend their purple patch remains to be seen.
Match starts at 7 p.m.
Published – October 08, 2026 07:28 pm IST
