'Look, if you field like that, then no total is big enough' - Virat Kohli shocked by India's performance

Captain can't believe mistakes as eight catches go down over two T20 games against West Indies

Powered by automated translation

Captain Virat Kohli is frustrated by India's slipshod fielding and has urged his players to fix the problem before the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia.

India, who had dropped five catches in the series opener against West Indies on Friday, spilled three more on Sunday to allow the visitors to level their series 1-1 in Thiruvananthapuram with a comfortable eight wicket win.

The unusually sloppy catching in Hyderabad in the first game prompted former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh to wonder if playing too much cricket was taking its toll.

Some of the players said the low floodlights in Hyderabad made sighting the ball tricky, but no excuses were offered for the mistakes in Thiruvananthapuram, where two catches went down in a single Bhuvneshwar Kumar over.

"Look, if you field like that, then no total is big enough," said Kohli. "Last two games we've been below par in the field.

"In the first four overs we created enough pressure and then you drop two chances in a T20 game in one over, that's going to cost you. If they lose two wickets in one over, the pressure's on them.

"I think it's a game of margins and we need to understand where we went wrong. It's pretty evident. It's there for everyone to see and for us to improve on.

"I think fielding is something we need to be more brave about, and not worry about dropping catches."

Kohli set the standard when he pulled off a spectacular one-handed catch near the ropes to send back Shimron Hetmyer. "It was one of those catches that just stuck in the hand," he said.

"It came out of the lights a little bit, but I just committed to the ball and put both hands out, and luckily it came into my hand."

India's total of 170, with 54 from Shivam Dube and 33 from Rishabh Pant, was chased down by the West Indies with nine balls to spare, Lendl Simmons top scoring with an unbeaten 67. The third and final match of the series is in Mumbai on Wednesday.