India vs WI 1st T20I Updates: Shreyas's 42-ball century powers India to victory

 Tue, 06 October 2026
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22:20

India vs WI 1st T20I: Shreyas's 42-ball century powers India to victory

Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer

India 172-2 (14.4 ovs) vs WI 171-all out | SCORECARD

Shreyas Iyer slammed his maiden T20I century as India crushed West Indies by eight wickets in the series opener in Lucknow.

Shreyas smashed his way to a first century in T20 Internationals from just 42 balls as India dominated the run chase.

India raced to 172/2 in 14.4 overs, winning by eight wickets with 32 balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Shreyas, who brought up his fifty from 28 balls, changed gears in great style. He powered his way to an entertaining century, with his next fifty coming from just 14 balls.

He is the first India captain to hit a century in a run chase in T20 Internationals.

Ishan Kishan was happy to play the supporting role with a steady 37 from 27 balls as the duo put on an unbroken stand of 137 from 67 balls for the third wicket.
22:08

Shreyas on fire! India set for easy win


India 164-2 (14 ovs) vs WI 171-all out | SCORECARD

Pacer Forde comes back into the attack. No stopping Shreyas as he lofts the first ball straight back over the bowler's head for a six.

He tries another slower ball but Shreyas once again hammers it straight for another six over long-on.

Shreyas, on 84, gets a life as Shamar Joseph puts down a simple catch at long-on after the India captain had hit one straight at him.

Shreyas makes the West Indies pay for that lapse. He swats a full toss over fine leg for a four before he leaves the last ball over midwicket for a six to race into the 90s.
22:03

Shreyas Iyer hits fifty; India set for easy win

Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer

India 140-2 (13 ovs) vs WI 171-all out | SCORECARD

Spinner Chase back into the attack with West Indies needing a few wickets to inch their way back into the contest.

The two batters easily pick the spinner for five singles off the first five balls and Shreyas heaves the last ball over midwicket for two runs to get seven from the over.

Spin from both ends as Hosein comes back from the other end. Shreyas continues to dominate as he plays a stunning inside out shot for a six over the covers.

Shreyas makes room to smash the next again over the same region for a four.

Hosein bowls it full and straight as the right-hander drives it straight down the ground for a single.

The spinner has overstepped for a no-ball as Kishan is gifted a free hit. But the left-hander can't make most as he mistimes the big heave and gets just a single.

However, he smashes the last ball straight down the ground to end the over with a boundary.
21:53

Shreyas Iyer hits fifty; India in control


India 114-2 (11 ovs) vs WI 171-all out | SCORECARD

Pacer Shamar Springer comes into the attack. Shreyas lofts the second ball over mid-off for a four and takes one off the next to bring up his fifty from just 28 balls

A huge relief for India captain Shreyas, who gets his fifty after 10 innings.

Springer makes the breakthrough with the wicket of Kishan. The left-hander miscues the high full toss and is caught at sweeper cover for 25.

However, as he is making his way back he has to return to the crease.

The TV umpire rules that the catch is not a clean catch. He states that the Matthew Forde has not pouched the ball cleanly and that it has touched the ground as the fielder grabbed the ball close to the turf.

The West Indies players are not happy with the decision and all they can do is smile.

Shreyas ends the over in grand style as he hammers Springer's last ball for a six over long-off.
21:46

Kishan, Shreyas take India past 100


India 102-2 (10 ovs) vs WI 171-all out | SCORECARD

Spinner Hosein back into the attack. Kishan cuts the first ball in the gap past point for a boundary and gets a single off the next.

Shreyas clips the third ball perfectly in the gap through midwicket for two easy runs.

Hosein bowls two dots in a row to Shreyas, who reverse sweeps the last ball for a single.

India well-placed on 102/2 in 10 overs at the halfway mark, needing another 70 runs from the last 10 overs for victory.

Shreyas has been very aggressive, smashing 45 from 25 balls, while Kishan has made 25 from 16 balls.
21:44

Kishan, Shreyas take India past 100


India 94-2 (9 ovs) vs WI 171-all out | SCORECARD

Shepherd comes under attack in his second over. Kishan flicks a full delivery for a four through square leg.

Shreyas then slams the fast bowler for a hat-trick of fours.

Shepherd tries the short ball which the India captain swats for a boundary through midwicket.

The pacer goes full and wide and this time Shreyas lofts it inside out over the cover for another four and repeats the shot for another boundary through the same region.

Shreyas hammers the last ball straight as Shepherd attempts a tough catch to his right but fails to hold on to the one-handed catch.
21:40

Kishan, Shreyas rally India after early wickets

Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer

India 75-2 (8 ovs) vs WI 171-all out | SCORECARD

Pacer Romario Shepherd comes into the attack to bowl the seventh over.

He makes a tidy start with the ball, restricting the batters to three singles and a double in his first over

Shepherd gives away just five overs in his first over.

Shamar Joseph continues from the other end. Singles off the first three balls before Kishan hammers a full delivery through the covers for a four and keeps strike with one from the last ball.
21:28

Kishan, Shreyas rally India after early wickets


India 62-2 (6 ovs) vs WI 171-all out | SCORECARD

Off-spinner Chase to bowl his second over in the Powerplay. Kishan breaks the shackles as he pulls the spinner through midwicket for a four and then takes one.

Shreyas makes most of a loose delivery, slashing the spinner's short wide ball past point for another four and he keeps strike with one from the last ball.

Fast bowler Shamar Joseph comes into the attack to bowl the final over of Powerplay.

Shreyas Iyer gets the first ball off the outside edge past short thirdman for a couple of runs.

He then hammers the next ball over the covers for a four to take India past the 50-run mark.

Shamar then drifts on the pads as the India skipper clips it over midwicket for another boundary.

He guides the next ball to the fielder at short thirdman who fails to stop the ball to make it a hat-trick of fours.

Shreyas in trouble with the pull shot as he manages to splice the ball to square leg where it falls well short of the fielder.

26 runs from the last two overs as India recover to 62/2 in six overs.

21:18

Abhishek, Samson perish; India in trouble

image

India 36-2 (4 ovs) vs WI 171-all out | SCORECARD

Samson suffers another failure. He plays a poor shot, looking to pull spinner Hosein but ends up slicing a simple return catch back to the bowler.

Samson walks back after scoring 11 from nine balls as India lose both their openers inside the powerplay.

India in a spot of bother on 35/2 in 3.3 overs.

Shreyas Iyer gets off the mark with a single and Kishan is unable to find the gap with the cut shot.

West Indies off to a good start with the ball courtesy of their spinners with India finding it difficult to get the boundaries in the Powerplay.
21:13

Abhishek out for 21; India lose early wicket


India 35-1 (3 ovs) vs WI 171-all out | SCORECARD

Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein from the other end with the new ball. Samson crashes the first ball through the covers for a boundary and hits the next into the covers where the fielder makes a diving stop to concede just a single.

A single each to the two batters before Abhishek can't get hold of the inside out lofted shot as he clears the off-side ring for two runs.

Off-spinner Roston Chase comes into the attack. Abhishek continues his positive start as he cuts the spinner square on the off-side for another boundary.

However, Chase gets revenge next ball. Abhishek looks to loft the spinner inside out over the covers but ends up miscuing it high and Hetmyer takes a superb running catch at long-off.

Abhishek dismissed after a quickfire 21 from 10 balls as India suffer an early blow.

Ishan Kishan gets an inside edge as he looks to defend with the ball going fine on the leg side for two runs and he gets one off the next.

Samson plays a nicely-timed drive through the covers for three runs as Shamar Joseph makes a good stop to keep the ball inside the ropes.
21:06

Abhishek gives India a quickfire start vs WI


India 15-0 (1 ov) vs WI 171-all out | SCORECARD

Abhishek Sharma walks out to open the batting with Sanju Samson, who was preferred ahead of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Seamer Matthew Forde opens the bowling for West Indies.

The first ball swings into Samson, who clips it on the leg side for a single to get off the mark.

Abhishek takes no time to warm up as he lofts the first ball he faces over long-on for a six to get off the mark in grand style.

He smashes the next through the off-side for a four before he clips the fifth ball for another four as India get 15 runs from the opening over.
20:43

Dhir shines on debut; West Indies 171 all out

Naman Dhir
Naman Dhir

WI 171-all out (19.1 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Axar Patel to bowl the final over. He finishes off the West Indies innings, getting the wicket of Hosein, caught at deep midwicket for 15.

West Indies are bowled out for 171 in 19.1 overs.

Dhir excelled with the ball on his T20I debut with superb figures of 3/31, while fellow spinners Kuldeep (2/33) and Axar (2/26) bagged two wickets each.

For West Indies, Shai Hope (52) and Rutherford (56) stroked quickfire fifties but the rest of the batters gave their wickets away cheaply with none of getting above the 20-run mark.
20:40

Rutherford slams 31-ball fifty to rally Windies


WI 171-9 (19 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Mayank to bowl the 19th over. Hosein, playing his 100th T20I for West Indies, lofts the first ball straight down the ground for a four.

He gets a bye off the next as he is deceived by the slower ball from Mayank.

Another slower ball from Mayank which is halfway down but Rutherford picks it early to pull it over square leg for a six.

He drills the next straight down the ground but doesn't take the single to long-off.

Finally, some relief for Mayank as he strikes with the key wicket of Rutherford, who flicks it straight into the hands of Dhir at deep midwicket.

Rutherford walks back after a fine innings of 56 from 34 balls, with three sixes and six fours.
20:34

Rutherford slams 31-ball fifty to rally Windies

Sherfane Rutherford
Sherfane Rutherford

WI 160-8 (18 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Arshdeep back into the attack to bowl the 18th over. Hosein takes one off the first ball and Rutherford can also manage just a single off the next.

Hosein flicks a full toss through midwicket for two runs before he pulls Arshdeep over square leg for a six and gets one off the next on the off-side.

Rutherford drives Arshdeep through the off-side as Shreyas Iyer makes a sliding stop running to his right at long-off but his feet are touching the ropes.

That is given as a boundary as Rutherford races to his fifty from just 31 balls.
20:31

Naman Dhir shines on debut; Windies 8 down


WI 145-8 (17 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Mayank Yadav back into the attack to bowl the 17th over. Rutherford swats the first ball on the leg side for one and Akeal Hosein picks one off the next.

Rutherford looking to get the boundaries as he attempts a couple of heaves off Mayank but fails to connect.

Mayank tries the slower ball but the West Indies left-hander picks the slower ball hammering it through square leg for a four.

The next ball is again slower but wide of the stumps as Rutherford cuts it past point for another boundary as Mayank goes for 10 runs in his third over.
20:24

Dhir shines on debut; Windies 8 down

Naman Dhir
Naman Dhir

WI 135-8 (16 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Springer also goes after Dhir as he heaves the spinner over midwicket for a six.

But once again Dhir has the last laugh.

Springer swings across the line but holes out a simple catch to Axar in the deep.

An excellent debut with the ball for Dhir, who finishes with 3/31 in four overs.

West Indies slip to 135/8 in 16 overs, they are in real danger of finishing with a below-par total.
20:21

Kuldeep, Dhir leave Windies in a mess

Naman Dhir
Naman Dhir

WI 127-7 (15 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

The Indian spinners keep chipping away at the wickets. Forde heaves Kuldeep on the leg side but fails to get enough power on the shot, as Ishan Kishan takes a wonderful running catch to his left.

Forde walks back after losing his wicket for two as West Indies slip to 124/7 in the 15th over.

Shamar Springer is beaten first ball before he takes a single next ball and Rutherford takes one off the next.

A single each to the two batters to end the over.

West Indies are 127/7 in 15 overs, with Rutherford, on 35 from 23 balls, holding the key for the visitors.
20:14

Kuldeep strikes; West Indies in trouble


WI 124-6 (14 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Dhir is smashed for a huge six over the leg side by Shepherd. However, the debutant has the last laugh as he strikes with the very next delivery.

Shepherd looks to loft the spinner down the ground miscues it high and is caught by Tilak Varma at long-off on the edge of the boundary.

West Indies keep losing wickets as they slip to 121/6 in the 14th over.

Dhir did well to bowl it wide of the off-stump and get some drift which resulted in Shepherd miscuing the shot, getting more height than distance.

Matthew Forde gets off the mark with a single and Rutherford takes one off the next.

Forde retains strike with another run off the last ball of the over.
20:09

Kuldeep strikes; West Indies in trouble


WI 115-5 (13 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Kuldeep back into the attack. Chase makes most of a full toss as he drives it straight down the ground for a well-timed boundary.

Kuldeep strikes next ball. Chase fails to read the leg-spinner which turns in sharply and strikes him plumb in front to be dismissed for five.

West Indies in a spot of bother on 114/5 in 12.3 overs.

Romario Shepherd watchfully keeps out the first two balls he faces before he takes one off the last ball.

A good comeback over from Kuldeep as he gives away six runs while taking a wicket in the 13th over.
20:05

Hope out for 52; WI lose 4th wicket

image

WI 109-4 (12 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Dhir continues from the other end. Hope lofts the spinner straight down the ground for a six over long-on to race to his fifty from just 36 balls.

However, Dhir gets revenge off the very next ball.

Hope pulls the spinner over the leg side but this time he can't get enough power on the shot and is caught at deep midwicket.

That is Dhir's maiden wicket in T20 Internationals as Hope walks back after a good innings of 52 from 37 balls.

Roston Chase gets off the mark with a single before Rutherford keeps strike with one off the last ball.
19:59

Hope, Rutherford revive West Indies


WI 100-3 (11 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Axar, who bowled an excellent first spell of 1/8 in two overs, is back into the attack.

Hope looks to drive the first ball but gets a thick outside edge which beats the man at short thirdman for a four and then takes one on the off-side.

Rutherford sweeps the spinner square on the leg side for a couple of runs before he reverse sweeps the next over short thirdman for a four.

Axar bowls a bit straight as Rutherford slogs the spinner powerfully over midwicket for a six and keeps strike with one from the last ball.

18 runs from the over as West Indies bring up their 100 in 11 overs.
19:56

Hope, Rutherford revive West Indies

Shai Hope
Shai Hope

WI 82-3 (10 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Rutherford goes after Kuldeep in his second over. The first ball is pitched up as the left-hander lofts it straight for a big six wide of long-off.

Three singles off the next four balls before Hope slog sweeps the spinner over midwicket for the second six of the over, which goes for 15 runs.

Debutant off-spinner Naman Dhir comes into the attack. Two singles from the first three balls before Rutherford cuts a short wide delivery past point for a four.

Rutherford is beaten next ball as Dhir gets it to turn sharply past the outside edge and he watchfully keeps out the last ball.

West Indies recover to 82/3 in 10 overs at the halfway mark.

Hope has slowed down after a blistering start to score 41 from 33 balls, while Rutherford has made 18 from 12 balls. The two batters have added 38 from 25 balls to get West Indies back on track after a few quick wickets.
19:56

Axar's double strike rocks West Indies

Axar Patel
Axar Patel

WI 61-3 (8 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Spin from both ends as Kuldeep Yadav comes into the attack to bowl the seventh over.

Hope clips the first ball off his pads through square leg for two runs before he chips the third ball over the covers for another couple of runs.

Hope picks one before Rutherford gets the inside edge with the ball flying fine on the leg side for a four to take West Indies past 50 in the seventh over.

Kuldeep bowls another as Rutherford again doesn't read the spinner, playing inside the line to be beaten on the outside edge by the sharp turning delivery.

Mayank, who was hit for four fours in his first over by Hope, is back into the attack.

The first ball is full and wide as Hope throws his bat but is beaten before he pulls the next ball for a single and Rutherford takes one off the next.

Hope clips the pacer off his pads for two runs to deep square leg before he has a narrow escape.

He attempts the reverse scoop off Mayank, who bowls a well-disguised slower ball. Interestingly, the ball has clipped the bails which fail to dislodge.

Hope is deceived again off the slower ball as he is early into the pull shot with the ball going fine off his body for four leg byes.
19:56

Axar's double strike rocks West Indies


WI 44-3 (6 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Hetmyer is unfortunate to be run out while attempting a tight single off a misfield. The left-hander put in the dive but his bat was not grounded even as it entered the crease.

Hetmyer can't believe he has been given out. He thinks he has made his crease as he speaks to the umpire.

Eventually, he has to make his way back after being given run out for 5 by the third umpire.

West Indies stumble further as Rovman Powell loses his wicket to a poor shot.

After playing two dots in a row, the right-hander attempts a wild slog sweep off Axar but misses the ball completely to be bowled for a three-ball duck.

West Indies stumble after a good start to be reduced to 44/3 in the sixth over.

Sherfane Rutherford keeps out the last ball as Axar bowls a wicket maiden over in the Powerplay.
19:31

Arshdeep strikes; WI lose 1st wicket

image

WI 44-1 (5 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Arshdeep to bowl his third over. He makes the first breakthrough with the wicket of Pooran, who inside edges the yorker back on to his stumps to be bowled for 12.

Shimron Hetmyer at No 3 for West Indies. He gets off the mark with a four, flicking the overpitched delivery from Arshdeep square on the leg side.

A single each to the two batters to end the fifth over.
19:24

Shai Hope gives West Indies a flying start

Shai Hope
Shai Hope

WI 36-0 (4 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

The boundaries continue to flow. Arshdeep bowls a high full toss as Kamil Pooran does well to control it and guide behind point for a four to get off the mark.

However, he can't make most of the free hit delivery, hitting it to the fielder at mid-off.

Pooran nudges a full delivery off his pads for a single and Hope mistimes the slower ball on the off-side for another run.

Arshdeep recovers well after the blunder off the first ball to concede just two singles from the last five balls.

With Mayank going for runs in his first over, India bring in left-arm spinner Axar Patel to bowl the fourth over.

Hope lofts the first ball inside out but can't get it in the gap as he gets a single to long-off and Pooran clips the next off his pads for one.

Another single to Hope before Mishra makes a lot of room to slice Axar over point for a four and keeps strike with one from the last ball.
19:15

Shai Hope gives West Indies a flying start


WI 21-0 (2 ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Fast bowler Mayank Yadav from the other end. The first ball is full and on the pads as Hope flicks it over midwicket for a four.

The next ball is on length but Hope manages to flat bat it back over the bowler's head for another boundary.

Hope looks in ominous touch with the bat. The West Indies captain ends the over with back to back fours, using his feet to loft Mayank over the covers before again using his feet to drill the last ball along the ground through the off-side to make it four fours from the second over.
19:10

India elect to bowl vs WI; Sooryavanshi dropped


WI 5-0 (1 ov) vs India | SCORECARD

Shai Hope and Kamil Pooran walk out to open the batting for West Indies, while Arshdeep Singh will open the bowling for India.

Hope defends the first ball with caution and is struck on the pads next ball as Arshdeep gets the ball to jag into the right-hander. The impact is high above the knee roll as India decide against the review.

Hope gets off the mark in style as he lofts the length ball from Arshdeep over mid-off for a boundary.

He keeps strike with a single off the last ball as Arshdeep gives away five runs from the opening over.
18:52

India elect to bowl vs WI; Dhir debuts, Sooryavanshi dropped


West Indies will take a lot of confidence from their victory in the third and final ODI as captain Shai Hope struck a brilliant 162 from 143 balls to help his team chase down a huge 353 for victory.

He will look to continue his good form in the T20I series.

India boast of a strong batting line-up but all eyes will be on Sanju Samson, who has once again been preferred as the opener over Sooryavanshi by head coach Gautam Gambhir. All-rounders Naman Dhir and Shivam Dube will play a vital role in the middle overs.

Check out the playing XIs:

India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (w/k), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Mayank Yadav.

West Indies: Shai Hope (Captain, w/k), Kamil Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde, Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Springer, Shamar Joseph
18:40

India elect to bowl vs WI; Sooryavanshi dropped


India captain Shreyas Iyer has won the toss and elected to bowl against West Indies in the first T20I in Lucknow on Tuesday.

All-rounder Naman Dhir makes his T20I debut for hosts India.

Shreyas-led India will be on a high having recently won the gold medal at the Asian Games in Nagoya.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is back on the bench with Sanju Samson reinstated as the opener to partner Abhishek Sharma. Samson batted at No 3 in the Asia Cup when Sooryavanshi opened the batting.

Arshdeep Singh and Mayank Yadav are the two frontline pacers, while there are three spin options in Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Naman Dhir, while Abhishek will also send down a few overs.
18:39

Naman Dhir makes T20I debut

Naman Dhir
Naman Dhir

Spin all-rounder Naman Dhir makes his T20I debut in the first match against West Indies in Lucknow on Tuesday.

He got his India cap from Punjab team-mate Arshdeep Singh.

Dhir was named as the replacement for Washington Sundar for the five-match T20I series against West Indies.

Dhir excelled with the bat in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 tournament last month to lead Amritsar Soormas to the title.

He played an incredible knock of 173 off 64 balls to power Amritsar Soormas against Mohali Kings.

He was the highest run-scorer in the T20 league, with 655 runs from 10 matches at a strike rate of 217.61 averaging 72.78, hitting 49 sixes and as many fours.
17:39

India vs WI 1st T20I: Confident India eye winning start

Team India
Team India

Having recently won the gold medal in the Asian Games, a confident India will be eyeing a winning start in the first T20I against West Indies in Lucknow on Tuesday.

The five-match T20I series against the Windies will also be a big test of Shreyas Iyer's captaincy against a top T20 team.

Under Iyer's leadership, India have notched up T20 series wins against lower-ranked nations like Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, while losing successive T20I series in Ireland and England.

Boasting of quite a few players who features in T20 leagues around the world, West Indies is considered a powerhouse in the format. They also won the T20 World Cup twice in 2012 and 2016. 

But India will hold an edge over the West Indies as they defeated the Caribbeans in nine out of the last 10 games at home.

West Indies have enough options in the department of all-rounders in the likes of Roston Chase, Keemo Paul, Powell and Shepherd. Their bowling department will be spearheaded by CSK left-arm spinner Hosein and pacer Shamar Joseph. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, who bowls both orthodox and wrist spin along with off-break of Chase will complement the attack.

India's biggest headache will be the pace attack which comprises seasoned Arshdeep Singh along with relatively inexperienced Delhi duo of Mayank Yadav (6 T20Is) and Prince Yadav (3 T20Is). The spin department will be manned by the experrienced Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav.

In case, the hosts wants to shore up their batting, then all-rounder Naman Dhir, who has replaced Washington Sundar in the ODI set-up, could play instead of one pacer. It also remains to be seen whether Iyer uses Abhishek as a bowling option in the spin department with the left-arm spinner displaying his bowling skills with a few wickets at the Asian Games.
17:28

Samson or Sooryavanshi? Gambhir faces big call in series opener vs WI

Gautam Gambhir with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Gautam Gambhir with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Retaining faith in the experienced Sanju Samson or fielding teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be head coach Gautam Gambhir's biggest headache as India take on a gutsy West Indies side in the opening T20 International in Lucknow on Tuesday.

With a change in coaching personnel from V V S Laxman from the Asian Games to Gambhir, there will certainly be a shift in strategic philosophy even though both coaches believe in batting depth till number 8. 

But if one follows Gambhir's template closely, he doesn't prefer to play both Samson and Sooryavanshi.

Gambhir also revealed that he has spoken to the young Sooryavanshi and made it clear why he will have to wait for his opportunities in the Indian T20 team.

Despite Sooryavanshi's recent good form, Gambhir has made it clear in his conversations with the teenager that he is not a guaranteed starter.

'It was a new experience for me as well. Yes, he was in good form, but I made him understand that sometimes, because of the players who have done well for a long time, he will have to wait for his opportunity,' the India coach said on JioStar's Follow the Blues ahead of the five-match T20I series against the West Indies, starting on Tuesday.

'And there's one more thing, social media or outside noise doesn't decide the playing eleven. It depends on who in that dressing room, or who the coach and captain feel can win us the match, or what is the best playing eleven, and who have done well for such a long time.'

Gambhir believes it would be unfair to drop Abhishek or Samson, who played a key role in India's T20 triumph earlier this year, after a few failures.

'Because if Vaibhav plays today, then it's going to be a tough conversation between me and whoever we leave out, whether it's Abhishek or whether it's Sanju. 

So, we can't suddenly ignore a combination that has created such an impact over the last one-and-a-half or two years, and after three or four failures, drop them and play a young player who is very talented, who is also in very good form. So, sometimes you will have to wait for your opportunity because we want to create that security in that dressing room.'