According to India captain Rohit Sharma, the team's lack of success in earlier Men's T20 World Cups does not necessarily indicate that they have been playing poor cricket or have a cautious mentality.
India hasn't been able to capture the trophy since taking home the first Men's T20 World Cup in 2007. India entered the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year as heavy favourites, but they were eliminated in the Super 10 round.
"Just because we didn't perform well in the World Cups doesn't mean we were playing subpar cricket for so long. We weren't playing cautious cricket, in my opinion. It appears we were doing things incorrectly and we did not take our chances if we lose one random World Cup game. However, if you look at all of the games we played before the World Cup, we probably won 80% of them. If you are conservative, I fail to see how you will manage to win so many games.
"We didn't win the World Cup and lost. It does occur, but not because we were not playing freely or because we were afraid. It's not like we've fully changed in recent times. Players now have the freedom to play their game, express themselves, and not feel under any obligation. Play freely, and performances will show," Sharma advised prior to the first T20I.
Sharma likewise pleaded with those not affiliated with the Indian team to be patient in order to receive reliable results from them. "The folks outside ought to keep the peace. Failures and results that don't go our way may arise from the way we play cricket, but that's good since we are trying something new and making an attempt to do something different.
"Errors can occur, but it does not automatically imply that the players or the squad are ineffective. We're just trying something different, that's all. Everyone has to adapt over time. People outside need to adjust their attitudes because we are changing."
Sharma has asked the players in the T20I series against the West Indies to play freely as if they are playing for their state or franchise sides. Sharma acknowledged that there were some spots in the Indian team that needed to be nailed in the lead-up to the Men's T20 World Cup in Australia in October-November.
There are a few positions that need to be filled. But we also understand what must be done to fill them. In the upcoming games, we'll endeavour to fix every problem. Boys should be allowed to play however they want, and we want to give them that freedom. We can discuss technique and preparation, but when the time for the match arrives, the players should be left alone.
"Simply put, we want them to play the way they do when they represent their state or a franchise. Do the same thing here if you don't take that much pressure elsewhere. The pressure in international cricket is different. It's our responsibility to lessen or entirely get rid of the strain. We are merely attempting to foster an atmosphere in which men can play without regard for their performances."