"His captaincy was very ordinary" - Kamran Akmal on Hardik Pandya after India's 2-wicket loss vs WI in 2nd T20I
Pakistani keeper-batter Kamran Akmal reckoned that Hardik Pandya has not been on the top of his captaincy game in the white-ball matches against the West Indies.
He suggested that the Indian skipper made a few errors in the second T20I against the West Indies in Guyana on Sunday, August 6. Akmal pointed out that not giving Yuzvendra Chahal his full quota of four overs in the match hurt the Men in Blue.
The veteran wicketkeeper claimed that while Pandya has proved his mettle as a leader on several occasions, he has failed to impress in the ongoing series.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kamran Akmal remarked:
"Akeal Hosein and Akeal Hosein scored runs towards the end, which suggests that Hardik Pandya wasn't up to the mark with his bowling changes. Yuzvendra Chahal brought India back into the game but wasn't given his full quota of overs. This was a blunder. Also, Hardik Pandya made yet another mistake by not bowling Axar Patel. While he has been quite good as captain, his captaincy was very ordinary in the first two T20Is and in the ODI which India lost. This is not Hardik Pandya's standard."
Notably, Chahal picked up two crucial wickets and conceded just 19 runs from his three overs. However, Pandya handed the ball to Mukesh Kumar for the penultimate over of the run chase.
The pacer gave away 14 runs from the first five balls, helping West Indies chase down the 153-run target with two wickets and seven deliveries to spare.
Kamran Akmal also pointed out how the Indian batters failed to build partnerships at crucial junctures. He mentioned that the visitors should have registered a big score, considering the firepower in their batting lineup, adding:
"Looking at the batting lineup of West Indies, the Indian batters should have scored at least 170. India have some big names in their side and a few batters have been in great form. When you have a batter like Suryakumar Yadav, 170-780 should be scored automatically. The Indian batters will have to play more responsibly. They need a good opening partnership. It is important for them to spend some time at the crease."
West Indies have taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. It is worth mentioning that this is the first time that they have beaten India twice on the trot in T20Is.
"He needs to find form and carry it into the upcoming big events" - Kamran Akmal on Shubman Gill
Team India opener Shubman Gill has struggled for form so far in the ongoing West Indies tour. He mustered just 45 runs from three innings in the two-match Test series.
While he did come up with an impressive 85-run knock in the subsequent ODI series, he failed to make a significant impact in the first two T20I encounters, finishing with scores of 3 and 7.
Akmal opined that Gill needs to get some big runs under his belt ahead of the upcoming 2023 Asia Cup and the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. He explained:
"Shubman Gill hit a six and tried to play another attacking shot on the very next ball and got out. He should be more responsible. Tournaments such as the Asia Cup and the World Cup are just around the corner, and he is one of India's main batters. He has all the shots in his arsenal, along with power-hitting. He needs to find form and carry it into the upcoming big events. When a batter like this gets out early in two or three matches, he will definitely be under a lot of pressure. He should play better in the remaining three matches."
The upcoming third T20I is a must-win one for Hardik Pandya and Co. The match will be played at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Tuesday, August 8.