Ten Doeschate urges India to embrace pressure ahead of West Indies clash
India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has called on his players to lean into the pressure rather than shy away from it as the defending champions prepare for a crucial Super Eight encounter against West Indies at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
For a team accustomed to high-stakes contests, the occasion presents a different kind of challenge. India’s recent finals — including the Asia Cup decider against their fiercest rivals and the last T20 World Cup final that ended a prolonged ICC trophy drought — were about seizing defining moments. This time, however, the pressure stems from the risk of an early exit at a home World Cup, a scenario that would be viewed as a major setback.
Ten Doeschate made it clear that India would not allow the magnitude of the match to overwhelm them.
“The important thing is to focus on ourselves, focus on what has got this group to this point,” he said. “It’s about big players standing up, experienced players standing up and just remaining calm and staying true to the way we’ve played leading up to this match. I don’t think you ever want to mask the pressure. I think you want to go towards pressure.”
He described representing the country on such occasions as a privilege rather than a burden, reinforcing the message that the squad has been prepared all along to embrace decisive moments, not avoid them.
While India trained with intensity, West Indies head coach Daren Sammy struck a defiant tone. Acknowledging India’s stature as the benchmark side, Sammy framed the contest as a classic underdog story. He recalled West Indies’ memorable victory over India in the 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final and suggested history could repeat itself.
“In order for you to win this tournament, you have to go through India at some point. Tomorrow is that day for us,” Sammy said. “It will still feel like a David and Goliath showdown. But like I said in 2016, David did beat Goliath.”
India’s preparations were sharp and specific. Axar Patel alternated with Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav in the nets, while Shivam Dube practiced against short balls and wide yorkers. Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan rotated against Mohammed Siraj and spin, as Abhishek Sharma worked on handling short-pitched bowling under the supervision of batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. Head coach Gautam Gambhir also spent time in discussion with players, fine-tuning plans. Varun Chakravarthy focused on consistency, targeting marked good-length areas during his spell.
West Indies, by contrast, had a more relaxed session, mixing light-hearted moments with purposeful drills, including extended practice against left-arm wrist spin — possibly with Kuldeep Yadav in mind.
India, minus Rinku Singh who is set to join the squad later, arrived to the usual fanfare outside the stadium, though the players remained largely focused and businesslike.
As Sunday approaches, India speak of preparation and composure under pressure, while West Indies lean on belief and history. With a place in the tournament on the line, only one approach will prevail.