Hardik Pandya’s decision not to let Yuzvendra Chahal to bowl his fourth over in the second T20I against West Indies continues to perplex the cricketing world.
Hardik Pandya, who had garnered new fans with his captaincy skills in the previous year or so, lost a few vital brownie points with his strange decision-making in the second T20I against West Indies. Hardik’s decision to leave Yuzvendra Chahal out of the death overs landed him in hot water, with many former Indian cricketers criticising his decision. Former India batter Robin Uthappa, who acknowledged to being taken aback by Hardik’s choice, summed up his reaction to Chahal’s move with a single expression.
“I have one expression – one Gen-Z expression for this moment – ‘pooof’ and not in a nice way,” Uthappa said after the conclusion of the second T20I on Sunday in a talk on Jio Cinema.
Uthappa claimed that he couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that Hardik didn’t stick with Chahal despite his success in the 16th over, when he dismissed both Shimron Hetmyer and Jason Holder.
“I’m just astounded that when a guy gets you three wickets in an over, you don’t bring him back for another one and effectively end the game.”
“The likes of Alzarri Joseph will not be able to compete with Yuzi Chahal’s experience and class.” He understands how to bowl to these lower-order batsmen and get them out. And Akeal Hosein isn’t going to take him on with three overs remaining. He would have supported himself with two overs to go rather than three. So you realized there was a lapse in judgment there,” he added.
With India already down 2-0, there is no room for error in the next three Twenty20 Internationals against the West Indies.
