IND vs WI | Winners and losers from T20Is ft Shikhar Dhawan, Kohli-Williams and Indian Fans
Prior to the series, looking at the Windies’ form, we all feared the worst and expected damning one-sided affairs but to their credit, the visitors sprung a surprise. But does that stop us from rating and slating the players from both teams? Absolutely not. Here’s our list of Winners and Losers.
Winners
Shivam Dube
Shivam Dube is one out-spoken young man, and let me tell you, at least in India, that’s a pretty rare breed. “I have the capability of clearing any ground. Hope you have seen it today, and also what capability I have,” is what he said after thwarting Pollard in the 2nd T20I. In this current Indian line-up, can you imagine anyone apart from Kohli giving out such a word? Absolutely not. Across two series - versus Bangladesh and Windies - Dube has firmly established himself as an out and out all-rounder, but more importantly, India might have just found an alpha personality, a winner, who would be willing to run himself into a brick wall to get that “W” for the team.
Kieron Pollard
There is something about Kieron Pollard the leader. No, I’m not particularly referring to his captaincy, but he seems to have that superpower in him to make this Windies set-up gel together as a team, something that only Darren Sammy has managed to do in the past three years. This was as good a performance the Windies have put up in a bilateral series in the last 2 years and it was crystal clear that the players loved playing for their new leader. Oh and he’s well and truly got back his mojo with the bat, too, his knock at the Wankhede where he trounced the Indian bowlers was like the good ol’ beasty version of himself.
Virat Kohli and Kesrick Williams
Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Anthony Joshua II wasn’t the only rematch we got in 2019, for there was a better one that awaited us that exceeded expectations by some distance.
- The birth of the rivalry, Jamaica 2017:
Virat Kohli smacks Williams for two boundaries - a six over long-on and a four over deep backward point - off the first two balls of the over, but Williams gets Kohli on the third ball and brings out his trademark “notebook” celebration. WINNER - KESRICK WILLIAMS
- The rematch: Round 1, Hyderabad
With everyone watching having completely forgotten about their rivalry, Virat turns into “Super V’, smacks Williams into oblivion, re-ignites it by mocking the West Indian’s “notebook” celebration. WINNER - VIRAT KOHLI
- The rematch: Round 2, Thiruvananthapuram
A clearly rattled Williams starts off by bowling a no-ball to Virat, but WOW, he manages to NOT concede and boundary and TAKE VIRAT’s WICKET! And goddamn, he pulls out the “hushhhh” gesture. The rivalry is well and truly alive! WINNER - KESRICK WILLIAMS
- The decider and Round 3, Mumbai
Forget about people ‘not remembering’ the rivalry, by now, the whole world has the eyes fixed on these two. It’s not about India vs Windies, it’s about Kohli and Williams.
-Kohli starts off cautiously, defends, defends and gives a death stare to Williams. Oof, looks like he must be up to something.
-Williams, quietly confident, walks in to bowl and HOLY COW, VIRAT HAS DISPATCHED HIM INTO THE CROWD!
Winner by T.K.O - VIRAT KOHLI!
The Kohli-Williams subplot, their rivalry, was beautiful and just showed why great battles, in fact, depend on the individuals themselves and not the format they play in.
Losers
Shikhar Dhawan
If Shikhar Dhawan manages to slot right back into the XI as an opener in the Sri Lanka series, then let me tell you, he is one lucky guy. I mean, it’s actually a joke how Rahul is in fact not the first-choice opener, and if there was ever any doubt on who should partner Rohit in 2020, this Windies series should have put that to bed. In sharp contrast to Dhawan - who was itchy and twitchy against South Africa, Bangladesh and in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy - Rahul looked like he was in a world of his own and unearthed his 2016 IPL self which saw him decimate bowlers. Sorry Shikhar, your time’s up mate!
Jason Holder
I was someone who strongly believed Holder should lead Windies in all three formats, but the Windies board thought otherwise and well, I’ve got to give it to them for getting it right. Forget captaining the side, I doubt if Big Jason even deserves a gig in the XI. His figures at the end of the series read 12-0-142-1 and the Indian batters treated him worse the pillow I used to pound as a child whilst practising a few WWE moves. His batting was also of little use, so I guess it’s pretty clear now that he is nothing but a mere fill-in for Dr Dre when he eventually returns.
Indian Fans
Technically, the Indian fans are ‘winners’ as they got to witness some terrific T20 action, but forgive me, their actions, that of humiliating Rishabh Pant everytime he made a mistake, makes them sore losers. The “Dhoni, Dhoni” chants that were witnessed first in the South Africa series spread like cancer and by the time the two teams played in Hyderabad, it had gotten incurable. In the 2nd T20I, the Kerala fans, too, entered the hall of shame by cheering for Pant’s mistakes to show their displeasure at homeboy Samson’s exclusion. The sooner this toxic trait is cleared out, the better - both for Indian cricket and the players.