Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar criticised West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph over his actions during the fourth T20I in Hyderabad on Wednesday, questioning his sportsmanship after Arshdeep Singh was struck by a bouncer. The incident occurred during the closing stages of India's chase, when the left-arm pacer was struggling with discomfort but chose to continue batting.

Arshdeep was hit on the shoulder by a short delivery from Joseph and appeared to be in pain. With India requiring 30 runs from the final ball, the tail-ender decided to carry on despite the discomfort. India captain Shreyas Iyer also reportedly urged him to retire hurt and leave the field, but Arshdeep remained at the crease.

Gavaskar Questions Shamar Joseph's Approach

On the next delivery, Arshdeep again moved away from his stumps and attempted to hit the ball for a boundary. Joseph responded with another short delivery directed towards the area of Arshdeep's injured shoulder. This time, the ball did not hit the batter and went past for four byes and a wide.

Arshdeep repeatedly moved away from his stumps and attempted to pull Joseph during the over. The sequence prompted a strong reaction from Gavaskar, who was commentating on the match.

The former India skipper questioned why Joseph continued to direct the ball towards the batter when the stumps were exposed.

"He is aiming at him," Gavaskar said on air. "Why attack the batter when the stumps are right there?"

Arshdeep eventually had to retire hurt on five runs after narrowly avoiding another blow. The West Indies went on to secure a 24-run victory, drawing the five-match series level.

Arshdeep's Fitness In Focus Ahead Of Series Decider

Arshdeep's shoulder discomfort has raised questions about his availability for the fifth and final T20I in Bengaluru on Saturday. Any absence would be a potential setback for India's bowling plans, although his fitness status will determine whether he can feature in the series decider.

West Indies captain Shai Hope led the visitors' batting effort with an unbeaten 102 off just 50 deliveries, laying the foundation for a formidable total.

Keemo Paul then delivered a decisive performance with the ball, claiming five wickets for 41 runs to disrupt India's chase. The West Indies held their nerve to win by 24 runs and level the series at 2-2, setting up a winner-takes-all final encounter in Bengaluru.