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'Arshdeep Singh would've been my first choice in place of Avesh Khan but not now': Ashish Nehra on India XI for 2nd T20I
The head of IPL 2022 champions Gujarat Titans said he would have preferred left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh in place of Avesh Khan but now that India have gone with the latter, they should stick with him at least for the first three matches of the series.
South Africa needed 78 runs in the last 6 overs. They did it in 5.1 to pull off their highest successful run-chase in T20Is to beat India by 7 wickets and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. South Africa's 212-run effort was also the highest successful run-chase against India by any side in the shortest format of the game. India's death bowling came under scrutiny for not being able to close out the game despite being in a strong position till 15th over the match. Former India pacer Ashish Nehra, however, feels there is no need for any changes in India's XI for the second T20I in Cuttack on Sunday.
The head of IPL 2022 champions Gujarat Titans said he would have preferred left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh in place of Avesh Khan but now that India have gone with the latter, they should stick with him at least for the first three matches of the series.
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"Arshdeep Singh would've been my first choice in place of Avesh Khan but not now. The next match is in Cuttack... you generally have high scores there too. And it's not that only your bowlers went for runs. You scored 211 too and were in the game till 10-15 overs. Two batters, in the end, took the game away from you. Don't think there is any need for a change. Kuldeep Yadav and KL Rahul are not there. India should play three matches with the same team unless there is a drastic change in conditions. India should learn from the defeat in the first game and move to the second one without panicking much," Nehra said on Cricbuzz.
India went in with Avesh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel as their three seamers with Hardik Pandya being the fourth option but none of them were really able to trouble the South African batters. If anything, it was Avesh who was accurate at the death with his yorkers while the experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar and IPL's one of the most reliable seamers Harshal Patel went the journey against David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen.
South Africa, for their part, are expecting the Rishabh Pant-led Indian side to make a strong comeback in the second match.
"This match is going to be crucial. India ill definitely bounce back. They are a quality side. We don't expect anything else. Every single game till the Bengaluru T20I is going to be very very tough," said South Africa pacer Wayne Parnell.
