'Success is progress' for Sammy as West Indies impress 'in spite of the challenges'

"Success is progress" for West Indies under head coach Daren Sammy, and as they go into the final game of their India tour with the series on the line, the added context comes as a source of contentment.

"For us, what success means may be different to the viewers," Sammy said. "But with us as a group, [this] is the first time we've won more than two games on an Indian tour [against India] in 20 years. So for us, success is progress. In spite of all the challenges that we face, if we could come here and compete against the best team in the world, defending champions, we tick boxes that keep us in the conversation [that's progress]."

West Indies' players had to take pay cuts, domestic players were downgraded to retainer contracts, and domestic tournaments were cancelled as a "necessary step towards financial stability". They lost the Guwahati ODI after posting 405 but bounced back by chasing down 352 in the final game of the series. In the five-match T20I series, they chased down 250 after losing in the first game, and defended 247 in the fourth T20I, and are now going into the decider at Bengaluru 2-2.

"Before the series started, we all know the pay cuts and everything that happened. West Indies are doing well, and they continue to be a team that brings entertainment to the world when we are doing well, and it's not because of, it's in spite of all the challenges that we face."

The batters have headlined this T20I series. Both teams' average run rate across four games is above 11, and while weather may have a say in whether play happens at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, if the game does take place, batters will be greeted by another flat surface.

There has been consistent rain in the days leading up to the T20I. West Indies didn't opt for a practice session on the day before the game while India had to cancel theirs because of the rain. Bengaluru has excellent drainage and play can commence 30 minutes after the rain stops. However, if rain starts mid-game, it compounds the challenge of getting players back on the ground.

The flat surfaces on this white-ball tour have not surprised Sammy. "I think when you come to India," Sammy said, "you watch the IPL, this is the type of surface that the guys are accustomed to playing [on]. Lucky for us, we have guys who have experience playing here.

"It's been tough on bowlers. But I thought the last two games, with no dew around, became a slightly more even contest. You look at the last two games where the dew has not played a factor, bowlers still had a chance in the game. So, I think good wickets with no dew presents a more even contest where the skills could be executed as we've seen throughout this series."

This series decider will also be West Indies' eighth white-ball game in 20 days. The team has travelled across India. "The demands on the body from the travel - it's eight different cities," Sammy said. "I think it's probably only India that has that luxury, and every city brings a different challenge, throughout the tour here, and India's a place we enjoy touring. The fans are crazy about cricket, you play in front of a full stadium every single time, you understand and see different parts of the country.

"For us, as a coach, as a group, and the medical and fitness group as well is [our goal is] to manage the players. It's been a long tour, you play every other day, so that is something we spoke about, but it's been beautiful, and the fact that we've made the cricket really competitive, it's good for viewership. People in the Caribbean want West Indies doing well, it lightens the mood of every single person. It's been box-office TV and, hopefully, tomorrow gives us that opportunity to bring the curtains down on an excellent tour and an excellent series."