IND vs WI: "I Don't Quite Know What Is The Plan" - Ajit Agarkar On Team India Holding Yuzvendra Chahal Back In 2nd ODI vs West Indies

In the second ODI against the West Indies on Sunday, Team India will keep Yuzvendra Chahal back when he bowls, but Ajit Agarkar is skeptical about this strategy.

At the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad, the hosts gave the Men in Blue a daunting 312-run mark, and Chahal finished with figures of 1-69 in his nine overs. To win the series with one game remaining, the visitors nevertheless, accomplished the target with two wickets and the same number of deliveries to spare.

Yuzvendra Chahal Should Have Bowled Earlier: Ajit Agarkar

Agarkar was questioned if he would have preferred Chahal to be brought sooner in the attack during a conversation on FanCode. He responded “yes” and added the following details:

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“I don’t quite know what is the plan regarding holding Chahal back. He has done really well whenever he has bowled. Today you could see that when there are explosive hitters in the end, maybe he was a little bit greedy trying to pick wickets towards the end of the innings.”

The leg-spinner for Rajasthan Royals (RR) could have been utilised earlier in the Windies’ innings, according to the former Indian bowler. Agarkar reasoned:

“It’s not always easy, doesn’t matter how good a bowler you are, once there are set batters at the crease, once there is a little bit of license, these guys have a lot of power. So why not get him in the game early and try and pick up wickets up front.”

Retaining Yuzvendra Chahal’s Overs For Death Was Ineffective: Ajit Agarkar

Only in the 17th over, when the hosts were 99/1, did Yuzvendra Chahal enter the fray. Although the shrewd spinner did remove Brandon King for a duck, he was well beaten at the conclusion of the West Indies’ innings.

While agreeing that Deepak Hooda removed Kyle Mayers from the assault as soon as he was added, Agarkar said retaining Chahal’s overs for the death was ineffective. He explained:

“I know Mayers got out to Hooda, but it was a slightly soft dismissal, against the run of play; he (Hooda) came first ball, and he (Mayers) played a loose shot, but apart from that, you let the game carry and let West Indies build partnerships, and then it doesn’t matter who bowls at the end.”

Early Attack From West Indies Surprised Indian Bowlers: Ajay Jadeja

The early attack from the West Indies openers, according to Ajay Jadeja, caught Team India off guard. He observed:

“Indians were probably surprised to start with, the way they attacked you. Over number 7, you (West Indies) were 70 for no loss, and at that time you were worried. You brought in Shardul Thakur for one over, then you brought in Axar Patel for one over, then eventually over number 10, you went to Deepak Hooda.”

After Hooda had removed Mayers in the eleventh over, Axar Patel was added to the assault.

Team India was placed on the back foot early in their bowling innings due to the magnificent onslaught by the West Indies openers, notably against newcomer Avesh Khan, who gave up 36 runs in his first three overs. Lately, though, the visitors came back to take a decisive series lead.

Also Read: IND vs WI: Axar Patel Comments On His Man Of The Match Performance In Second ODI, Rates It As ‘A Special One’