The Indian juggernaut has finally been halted.

Chasing may be the preferred template in modern T20Is, but not when you have to hunt down 250. That was the tall order in front of the West Indies at the JSCA Stadium on Friday (October 9, 2026).

Conventional wisdom would’ve predicted an easy win for the defending team, but not against a marauding West Indian batting order.

The Men in Maroon made light work of what looked like an insurmountable task, gunning down the target in 18.3 overs and pulling off a stunning six-wicket victory in the second T20I.

After Mayank Yadav’s fiery opening burst (three for 36), Shai Hope (102 n.o., 45b, 6×4, 9×6) and Sherfane Rutherford (84, 37b, 7×4, 7×6) kept up with the asking rate, and then some.

Kuldeep Yadav could have removed Rutherford at the halfway stage had Mayank held on to a regulation catch. The left-arm wrist-spinner got his man when the southpaw was caught behind in the 15th over.

At that point, after the breathtaking 120-run stand off 54 deliveries, West Indies still needed 72 off 35 balls. Hope and Romario Shepherd (34 n.o., 13b, 3×4, 3×6) then went on to seal a memorable win.

The two final sixes that Hope hit off Axar Patel not only brought up his century but also signalled West Indies’ highest successful run chase in T20Is.

Earlier, the Indian willow-wielders sent the visitors on a leather hunt to amass 249 for five, with Sanju Samson (82, 41b, 9×4, 4×6) being the protagonist.

Kamil Pooran dropping a straightforward catch straightaway unshackled Samson, who was batting on six.

After getting smashed off a free-hit right after the lost opportunity, Akeal Hosein bore the brunt of Samson’s brilliant strokeplay.

Though Samson’s trigger movement was almost always to the leg-side, the shots he hit covered the entire ground. Roston Chase — who had earlier dismissed Abhishek Sharma — castled Ishan Kishan (43, 22b, 6×4, 2×6) to break the 97-run stand before removing another left-hander, No. 4 Shivam Dube.

India lost momentum as well as Samson, who holed out to Kamil at third-man off Springer.

Shreyas Iyer (40, 18b, 3×4, 3×6) and Tilak Varma (44 n.o., 18b, 3×4, 3×6), however, built on the foundation.

Tilak was particularly ruthless against Springer after getting a life caught off a no-ball. Springer’s 23-run 20th over took India to 249, which proved nowhere near enough once Hope’s men took strike.

India spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule on Tuesday (September 29, 2026) said Ravindra Jadeja’s all-round skills and experience would keep him in the plans for next year’s World Cup while the team would continue assessing his performances alongside Axar Patel’s.

“For me, he [Jadeja] has always been a utility player. He has definitely improved as a bowler over the last six months. I thought he bowled really well in the Tests in Sri Lanka and in the first ODI [playing] after a long period.

“With Axar also being around for the tournaments we’ll play in the coming time, we will be able to assess their performances… who can be of utility. But Jaddu, with his batting skills and the experience he brings, is definitely doing well. I’m sure he will be looked at,” Bahutule said on the eve of India’s second ODI against West Indies here.

Bahutule praised Kuldeep Yadav, who was the Player-of-the-Match for his four for 40 in the first game in Thiruvananthapuram.

“Kuldeep has always been a match-winner for India. He’s performed exceedingly well, and his numbers show that. He works extremely hard at his game and is always looking to improve. Recently, he had a county stint and bowled a lot of overs there. He comes into a series well-prepared. He is a player every team would want to have because he is always lively on and off the field. His unique skills help us perform in any condition, and being a left-arm wrist-spinner definitely adds value to the team”.

Long before Barsapara had floodlights, before the city had learned the vocabulary of international cricket, Guwahati had its gods, its hills, and its river. Kamakhya still looks down from Nilachal, Umananda sits improbably in the Brahmaputra, and the river continues its immense journey past them all. A day of cricket arrives here on Wednesday as India and the West Indies lock horns in the second ODI.

The India–West Indies ODI fixture has twice marked a milestone in Guwahati’s cricket history.

In 1983, Nehru Stadium hosted the city’s first international match. India had just won the World Cup, but the West Indies was still the game’s sovereign. Richie Richardson made his ODI debut that day, entering a cricket world in which Caribbean supremacy remained largely unquestioned.

Thirty-five years later, in 2018, the city had acquired a new home for international cricket. Barsapara, the modern successor, hosted its first ODI. India had become a white-ball powerhouse, and Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli scored centuries as the host chased down 323. The West Indies, once the team everyone else sought to catch, was now trying to keep pace.

Guwahati is now an IPL venue, another marker of its growing place in Indian cricket. India sits atop the ODI rankings. The West Indies, however, has missed an automatic spot for the 2027 World Cup and must play the qualifiers for a third successive time. Denied the ideal start in Thiruvananthapuram, it will look to recover here and keep alive its bid to end a 24-year wait for a bilateral ODI series win in India.

There were signs of promise in Thiruvananthapuram. John Campbell and Justin Greaves, the West Indies’ fourth different opening combination in its last five ODIs, put together a 135-run stand. Greaves scored his maiden ODI hundred, while Campbell and Amir Jangoo made half-centuries. The bowling and fielding, however, need inspiration.

There is a certain ease to a team that knows where it stands. India seems to have it. Shubman Gill is the world’s top-ranked ODI batter and is in sublime form. Kohli looks liberated. There is a new aggression to his batting, an almost extravagant intent. Kuldeep Yadav’s return to the playing XI and his rhythm with the ball offered a timely reminder of his quality. Prasidh Krishna spoke of clarity within the team. India’s decision to forgo practice on Tuesday seemed another expression of that assurance.

India skipper Shubhman Gill opted to bowl against the West Indies in the series-opening ODI here on Sunday.

India have handed debut to spin all-rounder Naman Dhir as star players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also return to action.

Teams:

India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (wk), Naman Dhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Gurnoor Brar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna.

West Indies: John Campbell, Justin Greaves, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (wk, c), Amir Jangoo, Jewel Andrew, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, and Jayden Seales.