SA vs IND 2018: What Has Gone Wrong For Yuzvendra Chahal In The T20Is
Jan 9, 2019 at 3:49 PM
South Africa crawled back to level the series beating India by six wickets in the 2nd T20I at Centurion. However, many cited Yuzvendra Chahal’s failure to pick wickets as the main reason behind India’s loss.
Chahal went for the plenty in both the game. South Africa’s wicket-keeper batsmen Heinrich Klaasen hammered Chahal all over the park in the second T20I.
South Africa played an attacking game throughout as they chased down India’s target of 189 runs easily. They banked on Klaasen’s 69 and skipper JP Duminy’s unbeaten 64 to level the series.
However, batting first India posted 188 runs on the board after a rare failure of the top-order. MS Dhoni and Manish Pandey provided solidity in the middle-order as India inched closer to the 200-run mark. Vintage Dhoni was in action as he played as gorgeous at the fag end of the innings. Also, Pandey provided a good support scoring 79 runs.
Meanwhile, it was India’s bowlers who leaked easy runs to help South Africa level the series.
Chahal’s performance in the T20Is:
Chahal has witnessed a sudden dip in the form with the change in formats. He was India’s prime bowlers during the ODIs picking 16 wickets in 6 matches. However, in the T20Is he has not tasted success so far in this series. He has picked only one wicket and has gone for a handful of runs.
Chahal returned with 1 for 39 in his quota of four overs in the first game at Johannesburg. However, nothing much was talked about it as India continued their winning run. But Chahal gave runs at an economy rate of 9.75 which needs to draw attention. Further, his failure in the first game was overshadowed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s match-winning spell.
Meanwhile, in the 2nd game at Centurion, Chahal went for more. South African batsmen fetched 64 runs from his four overs which eventually changed the course of the game. They went all out against Chahal as he failed to control his line.
Reason for Chahal’s failure:
Although Chahal’s failure has drawn attention, there is nothing much to worry about. Wrists-spinners are generally known for giving runs but in turn, they give you wickets. However, Chahal’s failure to pick wickets can be a point of concern for Virat Kohli.
Chahal bowled in tandem with Kuldeep Yadav as the duo claimed 33 wickets to rattle South Africa in the ODIs. With Kuldeep missing in the T20Is, it is likely that Chahal has lost the rhythm bowling without his partner. Further, Chahal lost his line and length as the batter went hard against him.
Difficulty in gripping the ball due to wet outfield can be another reason for Chahal leaking runs. In both the games, India has fielded second which has brought the dew factor into account. With due coming in. It becomes tough for the bowlers to grip the ball properly. Further, Chahal was seen using his towels to keep the ball dry which ultimately didn’t go in his favor.
The T20Is matches are played on grounds which have short boundaries making it even tough for the bowlers. With short boundaries on offer, it is easy for a batsman to clear the rope without timing the ball properly. It has also gone against Chahal as many of the mistimed shots from his delivery went over the ropes.
Though Chahal has gone for runs in the first two games, Virat Kohli won’t be much disappointed with his premier match-winner. Chahal is the go-to man for Kohli in this format and Kohli had backed him even in the worse situation. So, it is likely that Chahal will continue to be a match-winner for Kohli.
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