India started their FIFA T20 World Cup campaign with a win, but the opening thriller against USA came with some loud lessons. Sunil Gavaskar believes the narrow escape should serve as an early wake-up call, especially as bigger Tests loom.
The former Indian captain pointed this out India ended up comfortably defending 161, a top-order collapse and early jitters showed why no team can afford complacency at the World Cup. In an interview with Star Sports, Gavaskar emphasized that India need to be sharper with their batting plans and their depth.
IND vs USA T20 World Cup: Update | Scorecard
“I think 160 wouldn’t be easy. They ended up saving a 30-run lead, which is a very good margin. So there’s a lot to learn – a lot to learn, isn’t it, the depth of the batting is there.”
“But if you have eight batting and then 9, 10, 11 are your bowlers and you lose four wickets in the first 7-8 overs from those eight batting, then you are in trouble – against better teams, against teams that have a lot more experience of playing in World Cups and a lot more experience of T20 cricket.”
Gavaskar’s larger point was simple: batting depth is useful, but it cannot become an excuse for wanton powerplay damage. Against more seasoned opponents, early collapses can cost them dearly as they progress further into the tournament.
“Yes, there is a six-over power play, but you don’t want to lose four wickets in that power play because that puts you in a situation where you struggle.
We all have to remember that when it comes to world events, every team raises their level of performance because world events don’t happen every day.
What happened in IND vs USA?
Hailed as clear favorites not just for the match but for the tournament, India were soon pushed into uncomfortable territory. Their batting, one of their biggest strengths in recent years, suffered a major disappointment as wickets kept falling.
At one stage, India were reeling at 77/6 in 12.4 overs and staring at the prospect of a sub-par total in their opening match. The pressure was unknown, and the energy of the US in the field only added to the squeeze.
Then the captain Suryakumar Yadav performed the captain’s rescue act. He hit an unbeaten 84 off 49 balls, smashing ten fours and four sixes to lift India to 161/9 – a total that felt par after the collapse, even 140 looked difficult.
How Indian bowlers rose to the occasion
The Indian bowlers ensured that Suryakumar’s efforts did not go unrewarded. Mohammad Siraj struck early with 2/29, Axar Patel tightened the screws in the middle with 2/24 and Arshdeep Singh held his nerve at the death with 2/18 as USA were restricted to 132/8.
The 30-run margin looked comfortable in the end, but Gavaskar stressed that World Cup matches are rarely straightforward, especially when each opponent turns up the intensity.
Even Suryakumar conceded that India cannot simply continue without solving problems with the bat.
“We can’t sweep everything under the carpet, we have to bat much better. You also learn a lot of things after a win. You could have batted better and smarter,” the captain said at the post-match presentation.
India have the points on the board, but the opening match offered an early reminder of the differences at the World Cup. Against USA, India needed Suryakumar’s save and a disciplined bowling effort to steady what should have been a more straightforward match.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 8, 2026
