"We don't play any other leagues"- Robin Uthappa blames lack of exposure outside the IPL after India's 2nd T20I vs WI
Former Indian batter Robin Uthappa remarked that the Men in Blue not playing in other leagues around the globe is hurting them in the T20 format overseas and in ICC tournaments.
India suffered a second consecutive defeat after losing the second T20I of the five-match series against the West Indies by two wickets in Guyana. Following a dismal batting performance to cough up a relatively straightforward run-chase of 150 in the opening T20, the Indians repeated much of the same mistakes in the second game.
The much-vaunted Indian batting lineup scored only 152/7 in their 20 overs, once again raising questions about the over-reliance on stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Speaking to Jio Cinema after the game, Robin Uthappa pointed to Nicholas Pooran gaining experience against Indian bowlers by playing the IPL, something the visitors lack by restricting themselves to only the home-based league.
"Well, yeah, I certainly think the exposure at the IPL and I think it is a trick that India misses out, especially in the ICC tournaments, because we don't play any other leagues in any other part of the world. And I think yes, it does well to protect the IPL as an entity, but I think it costs us at the ICC level," Uthappa said.
"And I think those are the advantages that the accomplished players have against our Indian bowlers when they play them in bilateral or they play against them in ICC tournament," he added. "They have had so much exposure against them in the nets and playing against them in the IPL for years 3,4,5,6 years. So you already know what the bowler does, you already know what the batter does. So you have a lot of information."
Nicholas Pooran's exceptional knock earns him the Player of the Match award! ⚡
#NicholasPooran #WIvIND #SportsKeeda pic.twitter.com/ZrbtMZnUpK
Coming off a scintillating century in the final of the recently concluded Major League Cricket (MLC) for the MI New York, Nicholas Pooran has continued his blistering form in the T20I series.
The southpaw scored a crucial 41 in the opening game, followed by his Player of the Match performance of 67 from only 40 deliveries.
"The likes of Alzarri Joseph are not going to contend with the experience and class of a Yuzi Chahal" - Robin Uthappa
Robin Uthappa was baffled by skipper Hardik Pandya's decision not to bowl out Yuzvendra Chahal in the second T20I against the West Indies, with only two wickets remaining.
Chasing 152 for a 2-0 lead, the hosts coasted to 126/4 in 13.5 overs before Mukesh Kumar picked up Nicholas Pooran, followed by a run-out that sent Romoario Shepherd packing.
Chahal then picked up the crucial wickets of Shimron Hetmyer and Jason Holder in the final three deliveries in his third over to reduce the West Indies to 129/8 in 16 overs.
However, Hardik Pandya decided to go with pacers Arshdeep Singh and Mukesh Kumar for the 18th and 19th overs, respectively, resulting in the West Indies completing the run chase in 18.5 overs.
"I am just mind-blown by how when a guy gets you three wickets in an over essentially you don’t bring him back for another one and kind of close the game completely. The likes of Alzarri Joseph are not going to contend with the experience and class of a Yuzi Chahal. He knows how to bowl to these lower-order batsmen, he knows how to get them out," Uthappa said.
"And Akeal Hosein is not gonna take him on, not at that point with three overs to go," Uthappa added. "He would have backed himself with two overs to go perhaps, not three overs to go. So, you knew there was an error in judgement there."
The defeat was the first consecutive defeat for Team India in the T20 formats against the West Indies since 2016. India had won the last five T20I series against the hosts, including 15 of their previous 17 matches before the ongoing series.
Hardik Pandya and Co. have to win the remaining three games to keep the series' winning streak alive, starting with the third T20I at the same venue on Tuesday, August 8.