Ahmedabad: After the crushing loss against South Africa in the Super Eights Group 1 match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup here on Sunday, Indian batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and Assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate have made it clear that there will be deliberations to make a change at the top, and Sanju Samson’s name will be discussed.
However, the West Indies’ dominant win over Zimbabwe at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday has changed the equation overnight. India will not only have to win their remaining two games but also boost their dismal net run rate in the process.
The scenario will make Team India’s think tank sweat more on selecting the playing XI against Zimbabwe in Chennai.
India’s eyes will be glued on South Africa and the West Indies here on Thursday. A South Africa win will make the semifinal route simpler for them, and a West Indies victory will make things more complicated. However, that game in Ahmedabad is just before their crucial clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai, and India won’t have enough time to plan according to the outcome of that crucial match.
India will want to bounce back strongly from a 76-run defeat against South Africa to stay in contention for a semifinal berth. The loss broke India’s 17-match winning streak in ICC events in white-ball cricket (2024 T20 World Cup, Champions Trophy, and 2026 T20 World Cup). Incidentally, the last defeat in the ICC events was also in Ahmedabad in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. Sunday’s humiliating defeat against the Proteas made over 82,000 fans at the stadium go completely silent again.
The Suryakumar Yadav-led side will hope Proteas beat West Indies to have their destiny in their own hands and avoid permutations and combinations. Currently, India is in third spot with zero points and a negative net run rate (-3.800) while South Africa is second with two points and NRR +3.800, and West Indies top the group with two points and best NRR +5.350.
India will fancy their chances against Zimbabwe to improve their net run rate. However, India has to counter the black soil wicket in Chennai again. They have struggled on such a wicket in Ahmedabad. Openers will be key and must fire to set the platform for a big total and allow the middle-order to consolidate.
It remains to be seen whether they mull any change in the top order or stick to the combination that has been working for them for the last 18 months. Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma’s performance is under the scanner. But India may need Abhishek’s flamboyance to go after bowling and put pressure on the opposition.
Samson brings in a right-handed option in a bid to break the three-match streak of rival off-spinners striking in the first over. But Samson hasn’t grabbed his chances yet and might not be an automatic selection. There is a possibility that the team will stick to opening combinations of Abhishek and Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar will come at No 3 if a wicket goes early.
Varma is the likely candidate to be dropped if Samson is drafted into the playing XI. Arshdeep Singh may miss out if the team wants an extra spinner in Kuldeep Yadav, as Chepauk wicket has traditionally assisted the spinners. Arshdeep bowled well against South Africa, but Yadav gives a more attacking option on spin-friendly tracks to pick wickets and restrict Zimbabwe to a below-par score. India has enough seamers in Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Shivam Dube.
Vice-Captain Axar Patel is likely to return in place of Washington Sundar. Zimbabwe has just a couple of left-handers in the top order who aren’t as dangerous as South Africa’s Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, and David Miller, which prompted team management to go for an off-spin option in Sundar during the last game. Axar may be an automatic choice considering his experience and form.
