South Africa outplayed India in all departments to register a comprehensive four-wicket victory in the second T20I at Cuttack on Sunday (June 12).

Chasing 149 to win, the Proteas got off to a terrible start, losing three wickets for just 29 runs with Bhuvneshwar Kumar wreaking havoc with the new ball for the hosts.

See Also: “We were 10-15 runs short,” Rishabh Pant’s take on India’s defeat to Proteas in 2nd T20I

However, India’s spinners failed to step up to the plate in the middle overs. In particular, Yuzvendra Chahal received severe treatment from the likes of David Miller and Heinrich Klassen as he returned with the figures of 1/49 in his four overs.

After the game, former India opener Gautam Gambhir slammed Chahal for his approach, pointing out that the wrist-spinner didn’t vary his pace.

“It’s very important to vary your pace. If Chahal thinks ‘I’ll bowl tight and get wickets’, it’s not going to happen. That’s the job of a left-arm spinner. A finger spinner is your defensive bowler but a wrist spinner is your attacking option. He (Chahal) needs to have an attacking mindset. He can give 50 runs in four overs. But if he picks up three wickets, he can take the team to a situation from where it can win the match. But if he concedes 40-50 runs and gets just one wicket, it’s a problem,” Gambhir told Star Sports.

“He needs to bowl slow and tempt the batter. No issues if he gets his for a couple of sixes. In the second T20I, none of the SA batters tried to step out against Chahal. They were hitting the leg-spinner from the crease, which means he (Chahal) was trying to bowl it fast. We expect those kinds of deliveries from Axar, not Chahal,” he added.

Playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR), Yuzvendra Chahal finished the IPL 2022 season as the highest wicket-taker, claiming 27 scalps to win the Purple Cap.

However, Chahal has failed to live up to the expectations in the ongoing T20I series so far, conceding 75 runs for just one wicket in his 6.1 overs.