India will face off against the West Indies in a virtual quarterfinal in the 2026 T20 World Cup on Sunday, March 1. The encounter will be contested at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

The Men in Blue have been distinctly sub-par from a tactical perspective over the course of the tournament so far. The time has come for them to get it right, as a loss would mean the end of their title defense attempt.

India’s squad for the T20 World Cup: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar.

West Indies’ squad for the T20 World Cup: Brandon King, Shai Hope (c & wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Johnson Charles, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales, Quentin Sampson.

On that note, here are three things India need to do right in their T20 World Cup 2026 clash against the West Indies.

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#3 Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma need to give themselves time to understand the Kolkata pitch

The pitch at Eden Gardens is expected to be dry, as indicated by West Indies coach Daren Sammy, which means assessing conditions early will be key.

Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, who will open the innings, will need to prioritize understanding the pitch’s behavior before going for their shots. A cautious approach early on can help them adapt and build a solid foundation for the innings.

It’s worth noting that failing to adapt to the conditions could lead to early wickets and put unnecessary pressure on the rest of the batting lineup, something which has been a problem for India throughout the tournament so far. Given that the West Indies possess three quality spinners in their ranks, acclimatizing to the pace of the wicket will be important.

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#2 India cannot rely upon overs from Shivam Dube

Shivam Dube’s role in the team has often been debated, especially regarding his bowling contributions, and it’s fair to say that India can’t afford to rely heavily on his overs. Dube is primarily a batting all-rounder, and expecting him to consistently deliver with the ball could be a risky strategy.

While he can chip in with a couple of overs, banking on him for a significant bowling contribution might backfire against a strong West Indies batting lineup. Dube has gone for a few runs in recent times, and using him as the sixth bowler won’t be viable against most matchups in the opposition team.

The West Indies are known for their aggressive approach, and exposing Dube to their power-hitters could prove costly. India need to be smart about utilizing his bowling, preferably in situations where he can bowl to his strengths or when the pressure is relatively low.

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#1 Jasprit Bumrah needs to be used in the middle overs and at the death

India have often bowled Jasprit Bumrah for two or more overs in the powerplay, and that isn’t a viable tactic against the West Indies. The Men in Blue must let Hardik Pandya take the new ball alongside Arshdeep Singh, holding the ace speedster back for the latter two phases.

Bumrah has many positive matchups in the West Indian middle order. The likes of Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd are good hitters of pace, but facing off against the star man will be a completely different challenge. Varun and Bumrah in tandem could break the backbone of the unit.