'India played with 10 players': Aakash Chopra baffled with Hardik Pandya's tactics after WI T20Is loss

India lost the five-match T20I series to West Indies, in Florida, on Sunday (August 13). Having levelled the five T20Is after being 0-2 down, the Hardik Pandya-led Men in Blue were expected to continue with the winning momentum and clinch the series, however, Rovman Powell-led Windies were clinical in the final T20I to win by eight wickets.

This became India's first-ever five-match T20I series overall. Meanwhile, West Indies won their maiden bilateral series (minimum of three games) versus the opponent since 2006, when they defeated Rahul Dravid & Co. 4-1 in the Caribbean island.

Thus, many fingers have been raised on Hardik's leadership whereas head coach Rahul Dravid is also being criticised left, right and centre.

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Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra also joined in and analysed Hardik's captaincy after the WI T20Is. Chopra pointed out how Axar Patel was underutilised throughout the series (did not bat in third and fourth T20I and completed his full quota of overs in only two games) and feels India played with only ten players.

'It almost seems like we played with 10 players'

On his YouTube channel, Chopra said, "Axar Patel was bowling the first over in the last match and in this match, Axar Patel bowled one over in total. The way Axar Patel has been used, we really don't know. It almost seems like we played with 10 players."

He further asserted, “You are saying that you will get Kuldeep Yadav to bowl if Nicholas Pooran comes, or else you will get Axar to complete his overs. What will you do if Nicholas Pooran comes up the order? He came up the order when Arshdeep Singh dismissed Kyle Mayers once again. Axar Patel is not being used at all."

“You have made him (Mukesh) a totally old-ball bowler. Arshdeep Singh was bowled two overs in which he picked up a wicket but he didn't get overs after that. I have got no idea whatsoever about the bowling changes and I won't even try to explain,” a baffledChopra added.

A lot has been said and written about Hardik's captaincy after India lost the five T20Is. While he claimed four wickets in the series, going wicketless in the last three games, his batting strike rate added to his criticism (striking at 110).

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