Ryan ten Doeschate on “dealing with pressure” on the eve of India vs West Indies

Both India and West Indies are going to battle it out in what will be a virtual T20 World Cup 2026 quarter-final in the Eden Gardens tonight.

India will be coming to this fixture on the back of a fine win against Zimbabwe while the Islanders will be entering the yard off a defeat against South Africa. With the stakes higher than ever, there will be very little room for any error whatsoever.

India’s assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate clarified the fact that with all on the line, the Men in Blue are not willing to overthink what comes their way. The entire team is focused on being practical while underlining that the pressure is very much real and the players are well-equipped to deal with the same.

Talking at the pre-match press conference, ten Doeschate said, “I think the important thing is to focus on ourselves, focus on what has got this group to this point, how well they've done. It's about big players standing up, experienced players standing up and just remaining calm and staying true to the way we've played leading up to this match. I don't think you ever want to mask the pressure. I think you want to go towards pressure. And that's been the message throughout, not just the World Cup, but certainly all the bilateral series.”

He further added, “All our preparation has been towards embracing pressure when it comes. We're continually telling the guys what a privilege it is to play for your country, what a privilege it is to walk out at Eden Gardens and play for a match to stay in the tournament."