India beat West Indies 2-0 in the recently concluded Test series, but West Indies showed plenty of fight in the otherwise lopsided face-off. In Delhi, their tenth-wicket partnership added 79 after they were asked to follow on. India still went on to win by seven wickets, but the home side's coach, Gautam Gambhir, was appreciative of West Indies' mettle on the field as well as humility off it.
Invited by West Indies coach Daren Sammy to speak to his players in their dressing room at the end of the series, Gambhir applauded them for being "great role models".
"It's a great learning the way you guys carry yourself off the field, your humility, your humbleness is something which my team and a lot of teams across the globe has to learn from."
Gambhir complimented the determination West Indies showed in their second innings at the Kotla. After being bowled out for 248 in response to India's 518 for 5 declared, West Indies' batters did much better in the follow-on, with Shai Hope and John Campbell scoring hundreds, allrounder Justin Greaves making 50 not out and No. 11 Jayden Seales batting for well over an hour for 32.
"Many teams play because they love the game," Gambhir told the West Indians. "There are very few teams who have something like West Indies - a purpose to play this game. Purpose is always more important than love. When I look at you guys, I feel that you guys can inspire the next generation of West Indies. I think the way you played in the second innings of this Test match is probably the template which can take West Indies cricket forward, the way you guys fought from No. 1 to No. 11."
He also emphasised the importance of small contributions in the team.
"It's very easy to talk about hundreds, five-fors. The guys who are scoring hundreds and taking fifers don't need support from the coaches or the support staff. I think it's the small contributions that make a team, not the big contributions. Big contributions only make headlines.
"That is what we are trying to do in our dressing room as well, trying to give enough appreciation to small contributions. A prime example, someone like Jayden, batting what, 70-odd balls. Or for example, Anderson [Phillip], playing 100 balls [93] in the first innings. Those are massive contributions.
"People might not notice this because you don't play for the outside world. You play for what this dressing room stands for. I think the only opinions that should matter is what people think in this dressing room."
Gambhir also acknowledged that a team like West Indies, with budgets far more modest than India's, had greater challenges.
"I know it's easy for me to stand here and talk about the performances but I think your second innings should be the template going forward as well. The kind of challenges you guys face, despite that, having a smile on your face, working, playing for the country, trying to inspire the next generation is something which is probably for me, the most important thing in West Indian cricket.
"And lastly guys, I want to say one thing and that is something which I've always believed in. You might feel that I'm saying it just for the heck of it but this comes straight from the heart: West Indian cricket doesn't need world cricket. World cricket needs West Indian cricket. Remember that."