Netizens Question Hardik Pandya's Captaincy as He Under-Bowls Yuzvendra Chahal in 2nd T20I vs WI

Yuzvendra Chahal didn't complete his quota [Twitter]

Indian captain Hardik Pandya has come under intense scrutiny following India's two-wicket loss to West Indies in the second T20I match held at Providence Stadium in Guyana.

Criticism mounts over Hardik Pandya's captaincy

The second consecutive defeat in the five-match series places India at a 2-0 disadvantage, stirring up a storm of criticism against Hardik's captaincy and strategic choices.

Defending a not-so-impressive target of 152, India started emphatically, reducing the hosts to 2/2 in the first over. However, the tide turned in favour of West Indies as Nicholas Pooran delivered a power-packed performance, scoring a rapid 67 off 40 balls.

The actual game-changing moment emerged in the 16th over when leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took two wickets in the over, and a third came in the form of a runout. In a sudden downturn, West Indies slipped from 126/4 to 129/8 in 16 overs.

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However, despite Chahal's stellar performance, he was only allowed three overs, which fans and cricket pundits have attributed to a miscalculation on the part of Hardik. The oversight left Chahal underutilised and allowed West Indies to chase the target in the 19th over.

Pandya's decision not to deploy Chahal for his last over, opting instead for pacers Arshdeep Singh and Mukesh Kumar in the remaining four overs, has drawn widespread criticism. The strategy seemed to boomerang, exacerbating the concerns about Hardik's ability to lead.

Adding to this, Pandya's inexplicable decision not to bowl Axar Patel at all added to the confounding decisions that led to the defeat.

Hardik's leadership is now being heavily questioned in the court of public opinion following these tactical missteps that resulted in consecutive losses. Cricket pundits and fans alike have voiced their dissatisfaction, questioning his aptitude to continue leading the Indian team.

Here’s how Twitterati reacted to Hardik Pandya’s captaincy errors

The third T20I between the two teams will be played on Tuesday at the same venue. 

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