IND vs SL: Wasim Jaffer slams Yuzvendra Chahal's 'ordinary' performance in 1st T20I

The Indian team started the new year with a close two-run win over Sri Lanka in the first T20I match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday (January 3). Sri Lankan bowlers bowled impressive spells to restrict India to 162/5 and then their batters came close to taking their side home. As a result, the hosts had their task cut out in defending the target but managed to do so in a last-over thriller.

Shivam Mavi shined on his international debut with four wickets while Umran Malik and Harshal Patel contributed with two wickets. But the Indian spin duo of Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal struggled for the wickets and also proved economically poor. Chahal, India's key spinner, conceded 26 runs from his two-over spell and Axar conceded 31 runs at an economy rate of 10.33.

I think that’s a concern going forward: Wasim Jaffer

Axar, ahead of Chahal and Hardik Pandya, bowled the last over when the Indian team was defending 12 runs and that surprised many, including the former cricketer Wasim Jaffer. He said that Chahal's bowling was very ordinary and that forced Axar to bowl the last over.

“Chahal had a very ordinary game and that’s a disappointment. The spinners only bowled two overs each. And Axar had to bowl his third over - the last over. I think that’s a concern going forward. In most conditions, you would want your two spinners to bowl at least seven overs, if not eight,” Wasim Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo.

Hardik, India's sixth bowling option, was impressive with his economical spell but he bowled only three overs while conceding 12 runs. Jaffer pointed out the importance of Hardik bowling his full quota as India prepare for the 2023 one-day World Cup and the all-rounder might have to bowl more overs.

“Hardik needs to bowl. That’s again a concern. He takes rest as and when India can afford to give him rest. But going forward, because it is the World Cup, sometimes India might play with three seamers and he might have to bowl 8-10 overs in the game," Jaffer added.

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