Former cricketer, Parthiv Patel feels Team India needs a more proactive Head coach than Rahul Dravid in the T20 format, who can support skipper Hardik Pandya. India is trailing 2-0 in the five-match T20I series against West Indies. They lost the second T20I on Sunday, August 6 at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.
Rahul Dravid took over the charge as Team India’s Head coach in 2021 after Ravi Shastri’s tenure came to an end. They suffered a semi-final exit from the 2022 T20 World Cup. With the next 2024 T20 World Cup a few months away, India’s preparations for the mega-event haven’t been ideal. Following India’s loss against West Indies in the second T20I, Parthiv Patel raised questions about Head Coach Rahul Dravid’s methods in T20 cricket. Speaking to Cricbuzz, he said,
“Hardik Pandya has been brilliant as a captain for GT (Gujarat Titans) but he had support from Ashish Nehra as well. Is Rahul Dravid the proactive person or coach, which we are looking for in the T20 format? In my opinion, I don’t think so. We need someone who is proactive, Hardik Pandya has that spark, but he needs that support and Rahul Dravid does not provide that for him.”
A close game in the end in Guyana!
West Indies win the 2nd T20I by 2 wickets.
Scorecard – https://t.co/9ozoVNatxN#TeamIndia | #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/jem0j9gMzv
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 6, 2023
Hardik Pandya’s decision to not give Yuzvendra Chahal the 18th over was the turning point: Parthiv Patel
In the second T20I, India put on 152 runs on the board, on the back of Tilak Varma’s fifty. In response, West Indies lost a few early wickets, however, Nicholas Pooran’s blistering 67 kept them in the hut. After his dismissal, they suffered a mini-collapse and were reduced to 129 runs for the loss of eight wickets. Yuzvendra Chahal bowled a brilliant spell, picking up two wickets. However, Hardik Pandya did not bring the spinner in for his final over.
Akeal Hosein and Alzarri Joseph ensured no further damage to the West Indies innings and powered them home. Parthiv Patel expressed that Hardik Pandya’s decision to not give Chahal his final over was the turning point of the match. He said,
“Hardik Pandya’s decision to not give Chahal the 18th over was the turning point in the match. He bowled really well in the 16th over, but he did not finish his quota of four overs. So, for me, that was something that turned the game in favour of the West Indies.”
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