IND vs SA: 3 reasons why India lost the second T20I
In the second T20I played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, the Indian team suffered a crushing 51-run defeat against South Africa. As a result, the ongoing five-match T20I series stands at 1-1 after the conclusion of the first two T20Is. At Mullanpur, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss & invited Aiden Markram’s side to bat. South Africa scored 213/4 after batting first.
In response, the Indian team managed to score only 162 runs. South Africa’s veteran wicket-keeper batter, Quinton de Kock, became the player of the match for his brilliant 90-run knock. The South African team outplayed India in every department and never allowed the hosts even a moment to stage a comeback. The Indian team made several mistakes in this match, but some of the key mistakes resulted in India losing this match. The Indian team made plenty of mistakes during this match, but there were also some mistakes that prevented India from even challenging South Africa. In this article, we'll explore the three biggest reasons for India's defeat in the second T20I.
1. An ordinary performance by Indian bowlers
The Indian bowlers faced a horrific day in the second T20I. Except for Varun Chakrawarthy, no other bowler could stop African batters. India's star bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel, all proved to be expensive. Even the Indian pacers did not get any wickets. Bumrah got 45 runs in 4 overs, Arshdeep Singh got 54 runs in 4 overs, and Hardik Pandya got 34 runs in 3 overs. South African batters Quinton De Kock (90 runs off 46 balls), Donovan Ferreira (30 runs off 16 balls), and David Miller (20 runs off 12 balls) easily hit boundaries against Indian bowlers. Even Jasprit Bumrah, for the first time, concedes 4 sixes in an innings. Arshdeep Singh gave 7 wides in South Africa’s innings of the 11th over.
2. Shubman Gill & Surya Kumar Yadav’s poor form continues
While chasing 214 runs, the Indian team needs some brilliant innings from their captain, vice-captain, and other batters too. However, Shubman Gill was dismissed on the very first ball he faced and achieved a golden duck. Apart from the gill, skipper Suryakumar Yadav was also dismissed after scoring 5 runs in 4 balls. Both Surya and Gill have been struggling with poor form for some time now, and their form has become a headache for the Indian team management. Fans demand Sanju Samson as an opener instead of Shubman Gill, but it seems that the team management has totally sidelined Sanju and continues to prefer Gill.
3. Axar Patel promoted at 3
Axar Patel is considered one of the best all-rounders in this era. The Indian team often uses him as a floater. He is often seen batting at No. 5, 6, 7, and 8, adjusting his batting according to the team's situation. However, in the second T20I, the management committed a blunder when he was sent to bat at No. 3 ahead of players like Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Verma. That too, when the team's first wicket fell in the very first over. Axar Patel managed to hold on to the wicket, but he managed only 21 runs in 21 balls. After Axar's promotion at 3, the entire batting order changed. India's leading run-scorer in the match, Tilak Varma, didn't get too many balls or opportunities, scoring 62 runs from 34 balls. Despite this, he couldn't finish the match in India's favour. Instead of Axar, if Tilak had been promoted to 3, the match result might have changed.
The India vs South Africa 3rd T20I will be held at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala, on December 14 (Sunday). Both teams are eyeing to win the match and take a 2-1 lead in the 5-match series.
