Team India returned to action with a defeat at the hands of South Africa in the first T20I of the five-match series in Delhi. Despite posting a strong score of 211/4 in 20 overs, India, led by wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, conceded the target with five balls to spare as Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller produced brilliant performances in the run-chase.
Indian bowlers proved expensive in the chase but one of the most surprising decisions in the game was not bowling Yuzvendra Chahal's full quota of overs. Chahal had bowled only 2 overs till the 19th over of the game, and was brought back in the final over when South Africa needed merely four more runs to win. The fact that Chahal has been going through sublime form, having finished as the highest wicket-taker in the recently-concluded 2022 Indian Premier League, added to the surprise surrounding his absence from the bowling attack.
Former India bowler Ashish Nehra, who had coached Gujarat Titans to title victory in IPL 2022, was also critical of Pant's decision.
{{/usCountry}}Former India bowler Ashish Nehra, who had coached Gujarat Titans to title victory in IPL 2022, was also critical of Pant's decision.
{{/usCountry}}“The opposition scored 212 and Chahal bowled merely two overs. It wasn't as if he conceded 22 runs in one over. You know that the runs are flowing. Even Axar Patel bowled an over to the left-handed David Miller. So, it was quite surprising for me that a bowler like Yuzvendra Chahal bowled only two,” Nehra said on Cricbuzz.
“Even Rassie van der Dussen was there. Even if you're looking at the left-right combination, you did bowl Axar Patel. So, I think you should've bowled Chahal. I can understand the thinking that you would want to contain the flow of runs, but once David Miller started hitting sixes off almost every over, you had to bring Chahal in,” the former India fast bowler further said.
Axar Patel registered figures of 1/40 in four overs in the first T20I, while Yuzvendra Chahal, bowling 2.1 overs, conceded 26.