New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar questioned India’s bowling choices in the closing stages of the second T20I against the West Indies in Ranchi, saying Arshdeep Singh or Mayank Yadav could have been better options to bowl the 18th over rather than Axar Patel during the visitors’ record chase.

“Definitely! I would have gone with either Arshdeep or Mayank. Yes, Arshdeep went for plenty in his final over, but Mayank had struck the early blows. Of the wickets that had fallen, he had taken three. His economy rate was about 12 an over, and at that stage, the West Indies needed more than that. So, if he had taken a wicket, and sometimes when the game is going in your favour, who knows, you would have got a wicket even if it had not been off a great delivery,” Gavaskar told JioStar.

Gavaskar also questioned the decision to introduce Shivam Dube in the ninth over, suggesting that Kuldeep Yadav might have been a more suitable option while the batters were still settling in.

“And once you get a wicket, suddenly, the opposition is on the back foot. A new batter has to come in. So, maybe that could have been tried. For me, I think giving Shivam Dube the ball in that ninth over was not exactly what was required at that stage. When the batters were still trying to get their eye in, maybe Kuldeep coming in would have been a better idea,” he added.

Gavaskar’s comments came after India failed to defend 249/5, with the West Indies reaching 252/4 in 19.2 overs to win by six wickets and level the five-match series 1-1. The visitors’ successful pursuit marked the highest successful T20I chase against India.

Mayank had finished with three wickets, providing India with early breakthroughs, but the hosts could not prevent the West Indies from building momentum. Captain Shai Hope led the chase with an unbeaten 102 off 45 balls, while Sherfane Rutherford hammered 84 from 37 deliveries. The pair added 120 runs to swing the contest decisively in the visitors’ favour.

With the series level, India will look to regroup before the third T20I in Indore, where their bowling combinations and execution will come under renewed scrutiny.

--IANS

vi/