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England took calculated risks against Kuldeep Yadav in 2nd T20 vs India: Yuzvendra Chahal
Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal could manage only one wicket in the second T20 International as England chased India’s total of 148
Defending a total of 148, India needed its main bowlers to fire. Their hopes rested on spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal pulling off a repeat show of the first T20 game, when they spun a web around the England batsmen in the middle overs with the left-arm spinner strangling them with a five-wicket haul. (INDIA vs ENGLAND 2nd T20I HIGHLIGHTS)
To their dismay, blunted somewhat by the conditions, a seamer-friendly track and shorter straight boundaries, Kuldeep and Chahal could manage only one wicket in the second T20 International as the England batsmen seized the initiative with sensible play. (INDIA vs ENGLAND 2nd T20I SCORECARD)
Explaining the difference between the two games in Kuldeep’s performance, his spin partner Chahal said: “Kuldeep bowled really well in the last game but in this game they played him more carefully. They chose which delivery they wanted to play or not play. I think with a score of 150 if we took it to the last over then we bowled well.”
“In the last game they made too many mistakes. They took calculated risks here, didn’t hit against him in the first three overs but in the last over because we also had a chance to win (the England batsmen went after him,” said Chahal, talking about Bairstow’s attack on Kuldeep, where he smashed him for two sixes in the 17th over to narrow the equation.
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Needing 39 runs off 24 balls, the pressure was on England at that point. But Kuldeep went for 16 runs and the home team were left to get just 23 runs for the last 18 balls.
Despite the warm weather conditions prevailing at Cardiff, the teams were confronted with a far more livelier track than expected, making strokemaking difficult for the batsmen. “The wicket was a bit helpful for the medium pacers because it was a seaming wicket. There was good bounce. So you will see that neither team was able to score big in the powerplay. So you can say that we could have defended 150, if we could have prevented those 2-3 sixes in the end.”
