'Not exactly what was required': Gavaskar questions India's choices after defeat

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has questioned India's bowling decisions during their six-wicket defeat to the West Indies in the second T20I in Ranchi. He believes India could have used fast bowlers Arshdeep Singh or Mayank Yadav for the 18th over instead of Axar Patel, as the visitors chased down a target of 250 to level the five-match series 1-1. India scored 249/5, but the West Indies reached 252/4 in 19.2 overs, completing the highest successful T20I chase against India.

Gavaskar felt Mayank, who took three wickets and gave India early breakthroughs, could have been a better choice to bowl the 18th over, even though Arshdeep had conceded plenty of runs in his final over. “Definitely! I would have gone with either Arshdeep or Mayank. Yes, Arshdeep went for plenty in his final over, but Mayank had struck the early blows. Of the wickets that had fallen, he had taken three. His economy rate was about 12 an over, and at that stage, the West Indies needed more than that. So, if he had taken a wicket, and sometimes when the game is going in your favour, who knows, you would have got a wicket even if it had not been off a great delivery,” Gavaskar told JioStar. He added that taking another wicket could have put pressure on the West Indies by forcing a new batter to come to the crease.

Gavaskar also questioned India's decision to bring Shivam Dube into the attack in the ninth over. He felt left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav might have been a better choice while the West Indies batters were still settling in. “And once you get a wicket, suddenly, the opposition is on the back foot. A new batter has to come in. So, maybe that could have been tried. For me, I think giving Shivam Dube the ball in that ninth over was not exactly what was required at that stage.

When the batters were still trying to get their eye in, maybe Kuldeep coming in would have been a better idea,” he added. India struggled to contain Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford after their early breakthroughs. Hope remained unbeaten on 102 off 45 balls, while Rutherford smashed 84 off 37 deliveries. Their 120-run partnership turned the chase in the visitors' favour, leaving India with questions to answer ahead of the third T20I in Indore.