Sir Wasim Jaffer, a former cricketer, said that India’s team balance versus the West Indies in the first T20I was off. Jaffer remarked that India’s tail for the game was far too lengthy when Kuldeep Yadav entered the batting order at position eight.
In the first Twenty20 International, which was played on Thursday at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad, the Men in Blue lost to the West Indies by four runs. Indian bowlers performed well to hold the hosts to a score of 149/6. They were restricted to 145/9, but their batsmen struggled in the chase.
Jaffer questioned the team selection India made for the game, which required them to play with a long tail, on a post-match broadcast on ESPNcricinfo.
“Numbers 8, 9, 10, and 11 don’t have the capacity to hit boundaries. When you play in this format that is a worry. You would support them to score those runs if Australia, England, New Zealand, or even the West Indies were competing. India is weak in that area, therefore the balance must be appropriate there, he added. “
“There are a lot of factors to consider when making that combo. The entry of Kuldeep at No. 8 is not the solution, the 45-year-old continued.”
Both wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep, along with left-arm spinner Axar Patel, were on Team India for the inaugural T20 International.
“The hitters ought to have pushed the game a little farther” – Sir Wasim Jaffer
Jaffer also voiced unhappiness with the way India pursued their pursuit, aside from team composition. The former opener claimed that while the visitors should have carried the game far, they kept dropping wickets.
“India has lost its mind. India was in it to win it. With the type of top order we have now, they could have been interested in chasing 150. This batting performance will leave them feeling let down. The hitters need to have played a little bit longer. With Romario Shepherd bowling in the death, it would have been considerably simpler, in Jaffer’s opinion.”
He said, “I think India would have gotten home with one over to spare if there were a couple of decent batters.”
With six wickets in hand and a target of 150 to chase, India needed 37 runs off 30 balls. But after Hardik Pandya and Sanju Samson were removed in the next over, the tail stopped wagging.
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