Phil Simmons reveals the two biggest reasons behind India’s ODI series win over West Indies

After winning the first two ODIs, team India registered a series whitewash over West Indies on Wednesday. Shikhar Dhawan and Co. beat the hosts by a big margin of 119 runs in what was a rain-curtailed encounter. The hosts, West Indies are yet to win a game in the series and India would be brimming with confidence leading up to the T20I series.

Following India’s win in the third ODI, West Indies coach, Phil Simmons pointed out the two biggest reasons behind India’s series win over West Indies. He heaped praise on Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj and said their consistent performances in the series were the biggest reasons behind India’s win in the ODI series.

“One thing? there are two. Batting of Shubman Gill and the bowling of Mohammed Siraj. Siraj was excellent in closing out the first game in the last over. He was good with the new ball today. Shardul Thakur was also good. I think their bowling stood out more than ours,” Simmons said in the post-match press conference in Trinidad after India won the third ODI by 119 runs.

“It (rain) did play a part, but it was the same for both the teams. We can’t use that as an excuse that the rain disturbed us. I think we lost too many wickets in the chase. We were on target there with ten overs left, but we just lost too many wickets,” Simmons said.

In the absence of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, Shubman Gill was given the chance to showcase his mettle in the series. Gill grabbed the opportunity with both hands and provided outstanding starts to the team. In the last match of the series, he played an unbeaten knock of 98 runs in as many deliveries, a knock which was laced with 7 fours and 2 sixes.

He finished the series as the leading run-scorer, amassing 205 runs in 3 matches at an average of 102.50. Mohammed Siraj, on the other hand, performed exceptionally well in the third match. He picked two wickets in the first very over and put West Indies on the back foot. He gave just 14 runs for 2 wickets in 3 overs in the third ODI.