"West Indies didn't panic; were beaten by mind" - Ajay Jadeja all praise for Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel after 2nd India vs West Indies T20I
Former cricketer Ajay Jadeja believes West Indies didn't fluff the 187-run chase against India because of "panic", but instead lost a mental battle against Harshal Patel and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the death overs.
After a shaky start where they lost two early wickets, the visitors brought the second T20I into balance in the 18th overs. Half-centuries from Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell took the Windies' score to 158-2. But Harshal Patel and Bhuvneshwar Kumar wrestled back control with their variations of speed and length, giving away just 12 runs in the next two overs.
This meant West Indies required 25 off the last over and Harshal Patel was given the ball. He missed his length twice, got hit for two sixes but uncorked a perfect slower-one on the penultimate delivery to help India win by eight runs.
Speaking to Cricbuzz after the match, Jadeja said the Indian pacers calculated better than their opponents. He also reflected on how they showed guts and mental strength by inviting the batters to hit their slower ones in crunch situations.
He said:
"I don't think they lost this game because they panicked or something went wrong. It's just that, the way they were calculating, they were beaten by mind by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 19th over and then [by] that final slower one that Harshal Patel bowled... You need guts. It's almost like a spinner right. When you bowl that ball slower, you are not giving somebody the pace to guide you for four but you give them the chance to hit you for a six. So are you ready to play that game, take that chance saying, 'I don't think you can strike me everytime. I will beat you'. That's the mindset that I saw today."
In the same video, wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik also felt that Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel were the perfect bowlers for the situation. He said:
"As a captain, these are the games when you reflect on you think, 'Wow, those are the kind of guys I would need under pressure. People who can absorb pressure, who understand how to bowl with the wet ball.' That gives you the confidence... You see Bhuvi, he was worth his weight in gold. Harshal Patel bowled brilliantly, just giving 8 runs in the 18th over was very, very critical. Yes, the last over he went for runs but you could see with his body language he felt completely comfortable. Even after those 2 sixes, he knew he would deliver... He mixed it up really well and we've got to remember there were two set batsmen at that stage. That was fabulous bowling from Bhuvi and Harshal."
Listen in to what @BhuviOfficial had to say about that brilliant 19th over under pressure.
#TeamIndia | #INDvWI | @Paytm https://t.co/iXM20cWtFC
Overall, Kumar conceded 29 runs in his four overs, getting the all-important wicket of Pooran in the 19th over. Spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi also played their part in winning with one wicket each.
"Numbers don't tell you the full story" - Ajay Jadeja on Harshal Patel
Brilliant 19th over 👌
Tricky final over 👍
Cooling down with an ice bath 🧊
Bowling Coach Paras Mhambrey chats up with @BhuviOfficial & @HarshalPatel23 after #TeamIndia's win in the 2nd @Paytm #INDvWI T20I. 😎 😎 - by @Moulinparikh
Full interview 🎥🔽
bit.ly/3p1m6o5 https://t.co/nIMtI4pBQo
Adding to his praise for Patel, Jadeja said the people who'll look at just the scorecard after the match will only see the runs he conceded and won't realize the Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer's contribution in breaking the flow of the innings.
He said:
"If you look at the scoreboard, 46 of four [overs], everybody will look at it and say 'Oh Harshal Patel didn't pick up wickets, nothing happened.' But when it really mattered, over 18, he was the one who really changed the time. There was a flow going and you don't want it to keep going. That 18th over is where he really pulled it back. Numbers don't tell you the full story."
With the win, India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-T20I series. The final match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata will start at 7:00 pm IST on Sunday.