Asia Cup 2022: “Bowling faltered in both matches” - Virender Sehwag reflects on Team India’s Super 4 defeats 

Former batter Virender Sehwag reckons that Team India’s bowling let the side down in both matches of the Super 4 round of the Asia Cup 2022. He stated that 170-180 are not small totals to defend, and yet the Men in Blue failed to do the same in consecutive matches.

Following their defeat to Sri Lanka on Tuesday, September 6, in Dubai, India now have only a mathematical chance of making the final of the T20 competition. The Lankans beat India by six wickets, chasing down a target of 174 with one ball to spare.

In their first Super 4 match, the Men in Blue went down to Pakistan by five wickets, unable to defend 181. Reacting to India’s defeats, Sehwag opined that their bowling has not been up to the mark. He told Cricbuzz

“India’s bowling faltered in both matches. Pakistan needed 26 in two overs; we allowed them to win. Sri Lanka needed 22 (21) in 2, and we again failed to defend the runs.

"In both games, we had the experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar, but it was the young Arshdeep Singh who did a better job. If we can’t defend 170-180, we can’t call the Indian bowling line-up a world-class one.”

Bhuvneshwar, who conceded 19 runs in the 19th over against Pakistan, bowled the penultimate over against the Lankans as well. This time, he conceded 14 as the game once again slipped away from India.

Questioning the experienced pacer’s tactics, Sehwag said:

“India’s field placement was bad. Bhuvneshwar was bowling wide yorkers with deep point and deep gully. It is like a free hit for batters because there is not much scope of getting out. Bhuvneshwar should back himself to bowl yorkers on the stumps.”

Like in the match against Pakistan, Arshdeep was left with the tough task of bowling the last over, with the opposition once again needing seven runs to win. He did well, but could not pull off an improbable victory for India as Sri Lanka got home with a ball to spare.

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“India not able to create any pressure at the top” - Ajay Jadeja

According to former batter Ajay Jadeja, India are suffering because they are unable to create pressure with the ball in the first half of the innings.

He opined that if Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel don’t recover from injury, Team India’s bowling would be a concern. Jadeja commented:

“If Bumrah and Harshal recover from injury, India’s bowling should be fine. But if they don’t, India are in trouble. India are not able to create any pressure at the top, and that is where they are losing the game.”

Aagainst Sri Lanka, India allowed Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis to add 97 in 11 overs. Pakistan, too, recovered from a slow start against India, courtesy of a third-wicket stand of 73.