Powerplay costing West Indies against India, says coach Darren Sammy

West Indies need to win both powerplays to beat India in India, head coach Darren Sammy said on Tuesday, identifying the first six overs as the decisive phase in the ongoing T20I series while backing experienced all-rounder Roston Chase amid criticism over his place in the side.

India lead the five-match series 2-1 ahead of the fourth T20 International here on Wednesday, with Sammy saying his side had repeatedly been forced to recover from expensive powerplays while bowling.

“I think the powerplay was the difference that prevented us from going 2-1 up, because we could have been 2-1 up as well,” Sammy said.

He pointed out that India had scored at nearly 14.5 runs per over in the powerplay, despite West Indies restricting the scoring rate to below 10 runs an over in each of the subsequent three phases.

“For us, it is about controlling the powerplay. So far, we have had to pull the game back every single time. That is an area we need to work on,” he said.

“To beat India in India, you really have to win both powerplays, with bat and ball.” Sammy felt West Indies’ batting had matched India’s in the series, with his side also striking more sixes in some matches. He said the visitors had looked to make the most of batting-friendly conditions, knowing that such surfaces were not always available.

“When you play on good batting wickets, you always feel you are in the game. You are just two big overs away from getting yourself back into it,” he said. The challenge, he added, was greater for the bowlers, with little margin for error on surfaces where totals of 200 or more are common.

“The margins are fine, but as we have seen, if you execute your skills, you are still in the contest,” he said.

Sammy cited India’s skilful use of yorkers as an example of the execution required to contain batters. He also referred to assistant coach Ravi Rampaul’s observation that hitting more fours than sixes could save two runs each time, and recalled Kimo Paul’s description of bowling in such conditions: “Either you execute or you get executed.”

The West Indies coach also defended Chase, who has faced criticism over his continued selection, saying the all-rounder’s discipline, tactical understanding and defensive mindset make him particularly valuable with the ball.

Sammy also defended Chase, who has taken six wickets in the first three T20Is against India, including figures of 3/24 in Ranchi and 2/38 in Indore. With the bat, Chase has merely got a chance to bat and has only managed to score 10 runs in two innings, including an unbeaten five in the third T20I.

“I understand why I get a lot of criticism for having Roston in the team, but I understand the individual he is,” Sammy said.

“Roston is naturally very disciplined in all aspects of his life. He does not like conceding runs, so he has a very clear defensive mindset.”

Sammy said Chase understood how to avoid being hit and had a clear idea of his bowling plans, adding that his intelligence and ability to execute those plans made him an important member of the line-up.

“He knows how not to get hit, and he is an intelligent cricketer,” he said.

Sammy also dismissed the perception that West Indies’ batting depended heavily on Shai Hope, who has been in strong form. He praised the calmness Hope brings to the middle but said other batters had also made important contributions.

He pointed to Brandon King’s batting alongside Hope in the ODIs and cited knocks from Shimron Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford as examples of the team’s depth.

“He brings calm to the middle when he is there, and perhaps some of our other players need to adapt to that calmness when the pressure is on. But he is not the only reason we win games,” Sammy said.

Sammy also praised the leadership qualities of a player who continued to guide and challenge teammates despite struggling for runs. Recalling the dressing room after West Indies’ 2-1 T20I series win over Sri Lanka in 2026, Sammy said the player had never lost his voice as a leader despite his own shortcomings.

“He was still able to challenge his teammates even when his own performances were limited, and I admire that quality in him,” Sammy said.