India has lost ground after a humiliating 76-run defeat against South Africa. t20 world cup With the title defense hanging by a thread, the team management faces crucial selection decisions ahead of victory in the Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday. With semi-final qualification no longer in their hands, two key changes could restore balance to a team that looked completely out of whack in Ahmedabad.
What changes should India make in its playing eleven for the Zimbabwe match?
Change 1: Sanju Samson included in place of Tilak Verma to break the deadlock for left-handed batsmen.
The biggest problem facing India is the abundance of left-handed batsmen in the top order, which opposition teams have ruthlessly exploited by starting with off-spin. In four of India’s five matches, they have already lost a wicket in the first over – all due to spin, and all due to ducks. This dangerous pattern has forced the middle order to constantly rebuild instead of being aggressive.
Tilak Verma’s tournament statistics make a strong case for his omission. In five innings, the left-handed batsman has scored just 107 runs at an average of 21.40 and a strike rate of 118.88 – which is too low for the No. 3 spot. His careless charge of Marco Janssen against South Africa, resulting in a duck off two balls, exemplifies his poor decision-making under pressure.
Meanwhile, Sanju Samson’s only appearance in this tournament was a blistering inning of 22 runs in eight balls against Namibia. This shows the kind of explosive intent India desperately needs at the top. His inclusion will allow India to counter Zimbabwe’s likely opening strategy with the off-spin of Sikandar Raza or Brian Bennett.
Change 2: Axar Patel returns in place of Washington Sundar to strengthen the spin department.
The decision to drop vice-captain Axar Patel against South Africa was widely criticized This is a tactical mistake and hopefully the team management will rectify it for the Chennai match. Washington Sundar, selected on a match-by-match basis against South Africa’s left-handed batsmen, made little contribution – conceding 17 runs in two wicketless overs and 11 runs from 11 balls with the bat.
Against Zimbabwe’s top order which consists predominantly of right-handed players, Akshar’s left-arm orthodox spin and lower-order batting ability make him an ideal replacement. His ability to contribute with the bat at number seven or eight adds vital depth which was missing against South Africa.
Spinners expected to play a decisive role in Chennai
The MA Chidambaram Stadium historically favors spinners, and India may opt for a three-pronged spin attack featuring Axar, Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav. The left-arm wrist spinner has played only once in the tournament – taking 1 for 14 against Pakistan – but can be devastating on the changing surface of Chepauk.
The probable XI could see Ishan Kishan retaining the wicket-keeping position, with Samson opening alongside Abhishek Sharma or moving to No. 3 depending on the match conditions. Suryakumar Yadav will have to handle the innings amid frequent early collapses, while Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey and Rinku Singh provide the aggression in the death overs.
With their net run rate falling to -3.800 after beating Zimbabwe by 107 runs and West Indies’ lead increasing, India not only need to win the remaining two matches but also hope for favorable results elsewhere. The time has come for bold decisions.
