Tilak's wicket the 'turning point' in India's loss - Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson said that Tilak Varma's wicket was the turning point in the fourth Twenty20 International in Hyderabad, where West Indies defeated India by 24 runs.

Chasing 248 on a relaid surface, India slipped to 130 for 5 in the 12th over, but Tilak and Nitish Kumar Reddy kept them in the contest. The pair brought the equation down to 48 needed from 19 balls before Romario Shepherd removed Tilak.

"The turning point of the match was when Tilak got out," Samson said. "We were cruising, scoring 10 to 12 runs per over, and we did a great job." Reddy and Tilak were batting really well in the pressure situation. I believe we were in the chase up until that point.

"That is actually a great thing to have after losing five wickets, having that kind of control - two young cricketers taking on the pressure and taking on the West Indian bowling line-up."

With 56 runs off 23 pitches earlier, Samson himself had established the foundation. He said while he enjoyed his innings, he would have liked to be on the winning side.

"Whatever you do feels very different when you are on the losing side, so I am actually a bit gutted at the moment," he said. "I definitely wanted to be on the winning side. I really enjoyed batting out there. When you are chasing a score like that, there are no second thoughts - you just have to back your instincts, your power game, and that is what I did. I thoroughly enjoyed the knock, but I would have preferred to have been on the winning team."

Asked whether India were missing Jasprit Bumrah with the ball, Samson said: "There is no replacement for Jasprit Bumrah. He is a once-in-a-generation kind of bowler, and we are very lucky to have him. But we have had some really good talent coming along also; Arshdeep [Singh] has been doing a great job, and also the way Prince Yadav has bowled in the last few games is very impressive. I feel we have some really good talent. The more we play them, the more we back them, the better they will become."

With yet another headache, India enters the fifth T20I that will decide the series. In the last over of the chase, Arshdeep was hit on the left shoulder by a short ball from Shamar Joseph. He looked in serious pain but stayed on to face one more delivery before retiring hurt.

"Arshdeep is putting ice on his shoulder," Samson said. "Hopefully he recovers soon."

The final T20I will be played on Saturday in Bengaluru.