“Chahal had a very ordinary game” - Wasim Jaffer reckons India’s spin bowling a concern

Wasim Jaffer feels that Team India’s spin bowling department in T20Is is an area of concern. While analyzing the performance of India’s slow bowlers in the first T20I three-match series against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, January 3, he described Yuzvendra Chahal’s effort as an ordinary one.

The Men in Blue beat Sri Lanka by a narrow margin of two runs in the opening T20I at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Debutant pacer Shivam Mavi stood out with figures of 4/22, while young fast bowler Umran Malik also impressed with 2/27.

In contrast, Team India’s spinners had a forgettable match. Leg-spinner Chahal conceded 26 runs in his two overs, while left-arm spinner Axar Patel went for 31 in three. Both bowlers went wicketless, even as the hosts managed to defend a total of 162. Admitting that India’s spinner needs to pull up their socks, Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo:

“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.”

Chahal was clubbed for three sixes in his two overs, while Axar conceded two sixes in his three overs, one of which came in the 20th over.

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“He had to complete his quota” - Wasim Jaffer on Hardik Pandya

While analyzing India’s bowling performance in the Mumbai T20I, Jaffer stated that skipper Hardik Pandya not bowling his quota of four overs is also a cause for concern. The former opener pointed out that the pacer’s fitness is crucial, keeping the ODI World Cup in mind. Jaffer elaborated:

“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."

He added:

“He had to complete his quota today (Tuesday). Even going forward, he needs to bowl a lot more. He can be, at times, the third seamer that India needs.”

Pandya bowled three overs for 12 runs but did not bowl his fourth over. He gave the 20th over to Axar, with Sri Lanka needing 13 runs for victory. Earlier, he went off the field briefly due to cramps after completing the catch of Bhanuka Rajapaksa.