After West Indies secured a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series, there has been widespread criticism aimed at the Indian team and their support staff. Following their four-run victory in the first T20I, Rovman Powell’s team extended their advantage with a two-wicket win in the second match held in Guyana. This has put West Indies on the verge of achieving a rare T20I series victory.
Following India’s defeat in the second T20I, Parthiv Patel shared his thoughts on the matter. He expressed that although Hardik Pandya is a capable captain, he requires support from the head coach, a dynamic that Ashish Nehra provides to him at Gujarat Titans. However, Patel pointed out that India’s head coach Rahul Dravid hasn’t been proactive in his coaching role, which has adversely affected the team’s progress and hindered Hardik’s performance as a captain.
Parthiv Patel said
“Hardik Pandya has been brilliant as a captain for GT, but over there he had support from Ashish Nehra as well. Is Rahul Dravid the proactive person or coach, which we are looking for in the T20 format? In my opinion, I don’t think so. We need someone who is proactive, Hardik Pandya has that spark, but he needs that support and Rahul Dravid does not provide that for him,” Parthiv Patel said on Cricbuzz.
Yuzvendra Chahal played a pivotal role in altering the course of the game during the 16th over of West Indies’ pursuit of a 153-run target. The accomplished leg-spinner conceded a mere two runs and clinched a pair of wickets, effectively shifting the momentum in favor of the visiting team. Chahal skillfully manipulated the ball’s movement, leaving the West Indies batsmen perplexed as they struggled to decipher his deliveries.
As the home side required 24 runs from an equal number of balls with only two wickets remaining, there was an anticipation among cricket enthusiasts that Hardik Pandya would deploy Chahal in the 18th over, aiming to dismiss the last two West Indies batsmen. Surprisingly, the 29-year-old spinner was held back for the final over, allowing West Indies to secure victory in the 19th over. Parthiv Patel highlighted that the decision to not utilize Chahal in the 18th over became the pivotal moment that shifted the game’s dynamics.
“Hardik Pandya’s decision to not give Chahal the 18th over was the turning point in the match. He bowled really well in the 16th over, but he did not finish his quota of four overs. So, for me, that was something that turned the game in favour of the West Indies,” Parthiv concluded.
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