The Indian bowling attack has not been able to defend a score in two consecutive matches against South Africa. Even in the second T20I, despite being given a good start by Bhuvneshwar Kumar who has been in tremendous form since the Indian Premier League (IPL), the team has failed to capitalize. In both matches, India was looking good to defend the score in the first 10 overs of the second innings but ended up on the losing side, once even after scoring a record number of runs.

Legendary Indian cricketer, Sunil Gavaskar reckons that India lacks wicket-taking options in balling and that’s they have failed to exert pressure on the opposition batting line-up. The likes of Harshal Patel and Avesh Khan bowled economically in the second ODI but failed to take wickets, after which Heinrich Klassen’s whirlwind knock took the game away from them.

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During a chat on Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar said, “The major problem is the fact that they don’t have wicket-taking bowlers in this squad apart from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yuzvendra Chahal. So, you take wickets and then you get the opposition under pressure. So, in both the matches, did anybody look like getting a wicket apart from Bhuvneshwar Kumar? He was getting the ball to move. That is the issue which is the reason why a total of 211 was something that they could not defend.”

Sunil Gavaskar further added that with three matches remaining, Umran Malik should be given a chance in the Indian team and acknowledged that after Sachin Tendulkar, he is the second player that he is interested in watching.

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The batting legend said, “The first player I got excited to see was Sachin Tendulkar. The second player is Umran Malik. He should play Gavaskar said.”

India will be taking on Temba Bavuma’s side in Vizag on 14 June in the third T20I of the series.