Sunil Gavaskar questions Shamar Joseph's sportsmanship after Arshdeep Singh's injury in 4th T20I originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Sunil Gavaskar criticised Shamar Joseph for continuing to bowl short to an injured Arshdeep Singh.
- Arshdeep was struck on his left upper arm and retired hurt on 5 off 4 balls.
- West Indies beat India by 24 runs in Hyderabad to level the series 2-2.
- The incident sparked debate over sportsmanship and competitive aggression in cricket.
Why did Sunil Gavaskar criticise Shamar Joseph?
India were chasing 248 in the fourth T20I against West Indies and needed 35 runs in the last over with only one wicket in hand. Batting at No. 11, Arshdeep Singh was hit on the left upper arm by a short delivery from Shamar Joseph.
Arshdeep was in pain, and the physiotherapist went on to the field. However, after a pause in the game, the Indian fast bowler attempted to carry on batting; yet, Joseph continued bowling short deliveries.
The matter left Gavaskar furious from the commentary box, with the veteran batsman criticising the West Indies pacer for persisting with his aim at Arshdeep and not bowling at the open stumps.
"He is aiming at him," Gavaskar commented on air. "Why attack the batter when the stumps are right there?"
Ultimately, Arshdeep retired hurt on 5 off four deliveries, ending India's innings at 223. Even their captain Shreyas Iyer gestured to him from the dugout to retire out of the game.
🚨 SHREYAS IYER DECLARES INDIA’S INNINGS WITH 3 BALLS LEFT AGAINST WEST INDIES! 😳 Captain Shreyas Iyer made a rare decision in the 4th T20 against West Indies, declaring India’s innings with 3 balls still remaining. Arshdeep Singh was struggling with a shoulder injury and couldn’t bat properly, so Shreyas decided to call the batters back and end the innings early.West Indies went on to win the match. A rare moment in T20 cricket! This was the first time a captain had declared an innings in T20 cricket with overs still remaining. 🤯
— Central Cricket (@arshdeep3444) October 14, 2026
MORE:Arshdeep injury update: India pacer suffers shoulder knock ahead of NZ series
How did India lose the fourth T20I against West Indies?
West Indies put up a total of 247/3 thanks to an unbeaten knock of 102 off 50 deliveries from their skipper, Shai Hope. In addition, Sherfane Rutherford delivered with an unbeaten knock of 49 runs off 26 balls to give the visitors a daunting total to chase.
India started their run chase on an aggressive note, with Sanju Samson leading the way with his 56 off 23 deliveries. Tilak Varma added to that with 43 off 25 deliveries.
However, West Indies took key blows in the game to disrupt India's chase. Keemo Paul claimed five wickets for just 41 runs to become the mastermind behind the win in this encounter.
Eventually, India ended with a total of 223 and lost the match by 24 runs. The result brought down the series to 2-2 and set up a conclusive fifth T20I between the two teams.
MORE:'The turning point of the match': Samson reflects on India's 24-run loss against West Indies
Where should cricketers draw the line between aggression and sportsmanship?
Aggressive bowling comes hand in hand with fast bowling. Short-pitched deliveries were legitimate in the T20 format that Joseph was playing.
What made things difficult for Joseph was that India required 35 runs off the last over with only one wicket left in hand. After hitting Arshdeep, he looked uncomfortable, hence making it risky for Joseph to continue bowling short at an injured player.
It does not mean that bowlers should shy away from being aggressive in their approach even when the batter opposite them gets injured. The game is all about competing, and one instance should not define the character or the motive of a player.
But aggression and sportsmanship can go hand in hand. Aggression is the contest itself, and sportsmanship is the skill of handling that aggression.
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