New Delhi, Oct 13 (NationPress) Former India captain Anil Kumble opined that India could have exerted “a bit more pressure” on the West Indies batters on the unresponsive Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch, even as the home team is poised to secure a 2-0 series victory.

“What India could have improved on was to impose more pressure on the batters,” Kumble expressed after the fourth day. “The pitch was indeed quite gentle. However, I must commend the West Indian batters as well. While we assess it from an Indian bowling perspective, the West Indies batters really focused on their game.”

Kumble mentioned that he had a conversation with West Indies head coach Darren Sammy before the match and praised the visitors for responding to their captain’s call for dedication.

“I had a short discussion with Darren Sammy yesterday morning, and the first thing he mentioned was, ‘I hope our batters can apply themselves more.’ They’ve now demonstrated to their coach that they are capable. We witnessed that yesterday and again today. Even the tail-enders displayed great determination. I thought the No. 10 and No. 11 batted excellently to challenge the Indian bowlers. Perhaps, India could have enforced a bit more pressure through field placements to elicit errors.”

Kumble’s comments were made following a lengthy and challenging day for India. What initially appeared to be an easy path to a 2-0 series win transformed into a test of resilience, as the hosts fielded for over 200 overs since the middle of day two before being required to chase 121 runs.

At the close of play, India was at 63/1, with B Sai Sudharsan (30*) and KL Rahul (25*) leading the side toward victory after the early dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal. The home team now requires just 58 more runs to clinch the win, but the journey to that modest target has been anything but straightforward.

When the West Indies resumed their second innings midway through day three, few anticipated them dragging the match into the final day. Reduced to 35/2 after quick wickets from Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar, the visitors found unexpected heroes in John Campbell and Shai Hope.

The duo forged a resilient 177-run partnership for the third wicket — a collaboration that not only revitalized the West Indies’ innings but also restored pride to their Test squad. Campbell’s 115 marked his first Test century in his 50th innings, while Hope ended an eight-year drought for a century with a composed 103.

“West Indies surpassed the follow-on mark and ensured that India had to bat again,” Kumble stated, highlighting Hope’s determination.

“I thought Shai Hope was remarkable. We all recognize his potential. He’s consistently performed well in white-ball formats. He had a stellar start to his Test career. I recall when I was a coach, and we toured the West Indies, he played a practice match before the series began, batted brilliantly, scored a century, and looked the part. Since then, his performances dipped slightly, but to achieve his first fifty after 31 innings and now a century today, he truly appeared solid. I’m confident he now views that No. 4 role quite seriously, and that’s something the West Indies will strive to build upon.”

Hope’s partnership with Campbell established the tone for a day of resolute resistance. From 293/4, the West Indies slid to 311/9, before Justin Greaves (50*) and Jayden Seales (32) further frustrated India by batting for 25.2 overs for the final wicket — their 79-run partnership becoming the West Indies’ second-best of the year.

Despite three wickets each from Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav, India’s bowlers encountered significant challenges under the Delhi sun. The decision to enforce the follow-on — after dismissing the West Indies for 311 in 81.5 overs during the first innings — seemed audacious at the time but became progressively demanding as the fourth day progressed.

As the shadows lengthened, Rahul and Sudharsan calmly navigated the remaining overs, ensuring there were no late surprises. The outcome may seem inevitable now, but the match has reiterated the timeless principle of Test cricket — that it rewards patience, persistence, and the ability to endure.

On Tuesday, India will return needing 58 more runs.