"You missed a trick" - Aakash Chopra questions Hardik Pandya's handling of Yuzvendra Chahal in 1st India vs West Indies T20I

Aakash Chopra has questioned Hardik Pandya's handling of Yuzvendra Chahal in the first T20I between India and the West Indies.

Chahal registered figures of 2/24 in three overs as the Windies set the Men in Blue a 150-run target after opting to bat first in Tarouba, Trinidad, on Thursday, August 3. The visitors were then restricted to 145/9, losing the game by four runs and going 1-0 down in the five-match series.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra criticized Pandya for not bowling Chahal his full quota of overs, saying:

"India didn't start that well with the ball. Then came Yuzi Chahal and he picked up two wickets in an over. After that, he was stopped. In my opinion, if Yuzi Chahal didn't bowl four overs in yesterday's match despite taking two wickets in his first over, you missed a trick."

The former Indian opener was disappointed with the leg-spinner being taken out of the attack after having taken two wickets off the first three deliveries he bowled. He stated:

"I was a little disappointed because you were holding back his three overs. You could have dismissed Nicholas Pooran because he bowls very well to lefties but you stopped him. You said you will get him to bowl later. It was slightly surprising."

Chahal dismissed Kyle Mayers and Brandon King off the first and third deliveries of the fifth over of the West Indies innings. However, with Nicholas Pooran hitting the wily spinner for a four and a six in the same over, Pandya took over the bowling duties from his end and delivered three overs on the trot.

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"At times you don't know whether having too many options is a bane or a boon" - Aakash Chopra

Axar Patel went wicketless and conceded 22 runs in two overs.

Aakash Chopra pointed out that Hardik Pandya was probably spoilt for choice in terms of his bowling options in Thursday's game, observing:

"Kuldeep Yadav bowled his entire quota of overs. Axar Patel bowled only two overs because a left-hander in Nicholas Pooran was playing and he could have hit him, so you didn't give him overs. At times you don't know whether having too many options is a bane or a boon."

The cricketer-turned-commentator lauded Nicholas Pooran for playing an enterprising knock, elaborating:

"Nicholas Pooran batted extremely well. He started from where left off in MLC (Major League Cricket) - he struck a century in the final and here also he batted well. He was picking his prey."

Chopra pointed out that the destructive wicketkeeper-batter might have been forced to change his game plan had Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav been used in tandem, explaining:

"He was quietly taking singles against Kuldeep but was ready to attack at the other end. So imagine if Yuzi Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav had been bowling together, then he wouldn't have taken singles and would have been forced to hit."

Chopra concluded by highlighting that dropped catches also proved expensive for India. Rovman Powell, who smashed a 32-ball 48, was the beneficiary on two occasions, with Shubman Gill failing to grab a difficult chance and Chahal putting down an easy offering.