Indian cricket team captain Suryakumar Yadav faced a lot of criticism following his side’s loss to South Africa in the second T20I encounter on Sunday. India looked on course to victory thanks to a brilliant five-wicket haul by Varun Chakaravarthy but South Africa mounted a late comeback to clinch the win. Former Pakistan cricket team star Basit Ali was extremely critical of Suryakumar’s captaincy and said that it ultimately led to the defeat. He pointed out the fact that using Axar Patel would have been the right course of action but Suryakumar ended up giving just one over to the all-rounder.
“Axar Patel bowled one over, in which he gave away just two runs. Suryakumar Yadav didn’t ask him to bowl again. I was really surprised. They (South Africa) won with just one over to spare. Axar should have been bowled when Surya brought Pandya back. He bowled three wide balls and the momentum shifted,” Basit said during his analysis on his YouTube channel.
“Aisa lag raha tha India yeh match nahi harega (it seemed India won’t lose the match)…Bad captaincy by Suryakumar Yadav. (It appeared) He didn’t know that the South African batsmen were facing problems in playing the spinners, and he didn’t ask Axar to bowl. He bowled Avesh Khan who was hit for two fours.”
“After 124, the spell that Varun Chakravarthy bowled, Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy let it go to waste.”
Varun Chakravarthy’s magical craftiness en route a maiden fifer remained a mere footnote as South Africa rode on the stubbornness of Tristan Stubbs to eke out a three-wicket win over India.
The four-match series is now level at 1-1. But SA’s victory, which also halted India’s 11-match winning streak, did not come without its share of drama.
The first hint of a topsy-turvy night came when India limped to 124 for six on a quick, bouncy pitch after getting the invitation to bat first.
The Proteas were at one stage 66 for six and 86 for seven, which eventually transpired into 128 for seven, as Chakravarthy continued his international resurgence with a five-wicket haul (5/17).
But SA found two valiant soldiers in determined Stubbs (47 not out, 41b, 7×4) and aggressive Gerald Coetzee (19 not out, 9b, 2×4, 1×6) who added a precious 42 runs for the eighth wicket alliance to carry their side past the tape.
(With PTI inputs)
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