"There were 7 wides in an Arshdeep Singh over" - Aakash Chopra criticizes India's bowling in IND vs SA 2025 2nd T20I

Former India player Aakash Chopra has criticized the Men in Blue's bowling in the second T20I against South Africa. He noted that the Indian seamers delivered a plethora of wides, with Arshdeep Singh bowling seven in an over.

India's profligacy allowed South Africa to set them a 214-run target in New Chandigarh on Thursday, December 11. The hosts were then bowled out for 162 in the chase, losing the game by 51 runs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener highlighted that the seamers were wayward, with Arshdeep bowling seven wides in the 11th over of South Africa's innings.

"The bowling disappointed a lot this time. Actually, the fast bowling disappointed, and they disappointed only because there were 16 wides. 16 wides means how many extra balls we bowled. There were 7 wides in an Arshdeep Singh over. It was a 13-ball over," he said.

Chopra added that the Indian seamers were also guilty of bowling a plethora of full tosses, highlighting that dew cannot be an excuse for that.

"Then you see how many full tosses we bowled. We were discussing how we should win the toss, but we started discussing full tosses. If we are saying it was because of the dew, South Africa didn't bowl even one, and we bowled around 13 full tosses," he observed.

Arshdeep Singh went wicketless and conceded 54 runs in his four-over spell. He delivered nine wides and was hit for five sixes and a four.

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"We conceded 49 runs in the last 3 overs" - Aakash Chopra on India's death bowling

Jasprit Bumrah conceded 33 runs in his last two overs. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh proved extremely expensive in the final three overs, with Varun Chakaravarthy being the only Indian bowler to hold his own.

"We conceded 49 runs in the last three overs. Bumrah and Arshdeep were part of that. These things can happen once in a while. So I won't be too critical, but we were way below par. Varun Chakaravarthy was outstanding," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Bumrah has been struck for more sixes in 2025 than he was in the preceding four years.

"A sort of bad stat has emerged about Bumrah. He bowled in 20 innings between 2021 and 2024, and he was hit for only eight sixes. This year, nine sixes have already been hit in 10 innings. He has been hit for more sixes and has bowled in half the innings. It is not a good story," Chopra observed.

Jasprit Bumrah registered figures of 0/45 in four overs in the second T20I against South Africa. Varun Chakaravarthy (2/29 in four overs) was the only Indian bowler to take more than one wicket and concede less than nine runs per over.