Ravichandran Ashwin was of the view that Shai Hope’s decision to use a spinner from the end wasn’t a good tactic for the West Indies to stop Sanju Samson
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Title : Indore: India vs West Indies 3rd T20I
Caption : Indore: India’s Sanju Samson walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal during the third T20 International cricket match between India and the West Indies in Indore on Sunday, October 11, 2026(Photo: IANS)
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin criticised West Indies captain Shai Hope for his bowling decisions during the second T20I against India in RanchiAshwin felt Hope made a mistake by continuing to use left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein against Sanju Samson, who was scoring freely.
India posted 249/5 in 20 overs, with Samson scoring 82 off 41 ballsHowever, West Indies chased down the target in just 18.3 overs, winning by eight wickets to level the five-match series 1-1.
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IND vs WI, 3rd T20I Highlights: India beat West Indies by 14 runs to take 2-1 series lead
Samson took on Hosein during the powerplay, hitting two sixes and two fours in one overThe spinner conceded 46 runs in three overs without taking a wicketDespite the batter’s aggressive approach, Hope allowed Hosein to bowl three consecutive overs before taking him out of the attack.
Ashwin questioned the decision on his YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat, and said the West Indies captain should have tried a different approach to stop Samson.
“Samson looked scratchy because he was not in a run-scoring phaseHowever, Shai Hope also made a mistake todayYou cannot keep using spinners from one end in an attempt to build pressure on Sanju Samson,” Ashwin said.
“Bowling three consecutive overs from Akeal Hosein during the powerplay was like serving a hungry lion a goat on a platterSamson simply took advantage of the opportunity and went after Akeal Hosein,”
Ashwin also praised Samson for continuing to attack despite facing pressure over his place in the Indian teamThe wicketkeeper-batter has often had to compete for a regular spot, but Ashwin felt his willingness to take risks for the team was important.
“This attitude is not easy to maintainIt is human nature that when you are in danger and know that you could be dropped from the team, self-preservation becomes the priorityStill, he continues to take risks for the team, and that is a great attitude,” Ashwin said.
Samson’s innings included nine fours and four sixes, and he scored at a strike rate of 200His knock helped India post a big total, but the West Indies batters produced an even stronger response.
Hope led the chase with an unbeaten 102 off 45 ballsSherfane Rutherford also played a key role, scoring 84 off 37 deliveries, while Romario Shepherd added an unbeaten 34 off 13 balls.
India gain 2-1 advantage
Meanwhile, the Indian team bounced back in the series to make it 2-1 after winning the third T20I by 14 runs at the Holkar Stadium in IndoreAbhishek Sharma’s explosive half-century and the quickfire 20s from the lower-order batters helped the Indians post 223 on the board.
West Indies’ chase faltered right away after Shai Hope’s dismissal for 5 and despite the best efforts of Kamil Pooran (42), Shimron Hetmeyer (43) and Sherfane Rutherford (32), the visitors fell short, finishing the match at 209.
