If Yuzvendra Chahal concedes 40-50 runs and gets just one wicket, it’s a problem: Gautam Gambhir

The former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has questioned Yuzvendra Chahal‘s approach in the second T20I match South Africa at Cuttack on June 12, Sunday. India lost by four wickets, with Chahal bowling the most expensive spell by conceding 49 runs in his four overs and just getting a single wicket. He also conceded 26 runs from his 13-ball spell in the first match and now drew flak from the fans and cricket experts.

India named the same XI after their big seven-wicket defeat in the first match. New stand-in skipper Rishabh Pant lost the toss again and was forced to bat first. India lost their first wicket in the form of Ruturaj Gaikwad on the fifth ball. Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer put up a good partnership for the second wicket to get some momentum for the big total. But the middle-order batters Pant and Hardik Pandya failed to contribute and India were restricted to just 148 runs.

Yuzvendra Chahal needs to bowl slow and tempt the batter: Gautam Gambhir

Experienced Indian bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled three overs in the powerplay and took a wicket in each. But other bowlers struggled to follow Bhuvneshwar’s lead and South African batters easily chased down the total with 10 balls remaining. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel bowled only an over and cost 19 runs. Chahal managed to take captain Temba Bavuma’s wicket in his third over but went for 23 runs in his last over. Gambhir wants Chahal to go for wickets with a more attacking mindset even if he concedes 50 runs.

“It’s very important to vary your pace. If Chahal thinks ‘I’ll bowl tight and get wickets’, it’s not going to happen. He can give 50 runs in four overs. But if he picks up three wickets, he can take the team to a situation from where it can win the match. But if he concedes 40-50 runs and gets just one wicket, it’s a problem,” Gambhir told Star Sports.

“He needs to bowl slow and tempt the batter. No issues if he gets hit for a couple of sixes. In the second T20I, none of the SA batters tried to step out against Chahal. They were hitting the leg-spinner from the crease, which means he (Chahal) was trying to bowl it fast. We expect those kinds of deliveries from Axar, not Chahal,” Gambhir concluded.