PremiumWhy were Rahul Dravid, Hardik Pandya stopping Yuzvendra Chahal from going to bat? Here's what we know
Both coach Rahul Dravid and captain Hardik Pandya were stopping Yuzvendra Chahal from going to bat in the final over.
Last Updated: 01.37 PM, Aug 04, 2023
While one can fully rely on Yuzvendra Chahal when it comes to his bowling and taking wickets, however, the same cannot be said about his batting. During the 1st T20I game between India and West Indies, the Men in Blue fell cheaply towards the end and the spinner was all padded to walk to the crease.
In the 20th over of India's chase, when Romario Shepherd dismissed Kuldeep Yadav with the very first ball, the visitors still required 10 runs from 5 deliveries with two wickets in hand. With Arshdeep Singh still at the crease and hitting few boundaries, it had put hope that India could win.
With Kuldeep walking back to the pavilion, Yuzvendra Chahal strode onto the field, fully prepared. However, he soon realized that both coach Rahul Dravid and captain Hardik Pandya intended Mukesh Kumar, the debutant, to bat at the No. 10 instead of him.
Perturbed by the commotion from the dugout, Chahal began to retreat just as Mukesh attempted to hasten onto the field. Unfortunately, Mukesh was prevented from entering.
According to cricket's laws, once a batsman steps onto the field following a wicket, they cannot exit and substitute another player. Chahal hurriedly made his way back to the middle.
He managed to secure a single on his first ball, but Arshdeep couldn't find the boundary and was subsequently run out on the penultimate delivery.
This left Mukesh to come and do the heavy job of hitting a last-ball six, however, he could only muster a single. Ultimately, the hosts clinched a four-run victory, securing a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Although the outcome might not have significantly changed had Mukesh batted ahead of Chahal, considering Mukesh's limited batting history, the Indian team's strategizing could have been more meticulous.