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India could make changes of their playing XI for the following Super 8 match of the 2026 T20 World Cup following a heavy defeat to South Africa.
(From left) Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma (PTI Photo)
The Indian team’s patience with out-of-form batters is wearing thin. Given what’s at stake, the coaches have indicated that the team is not going to hesitate to drop any of Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, or Rinku Singh for his or her crucial second Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup against Zimbabwe later this week. The trio has did not make an impact thus far within the competition, with India’s possibilities of qualifying for the semi-finals taking a serious hit after a heavy 76-run defeat to South Africa on Sunday.
Opener Abhishek, the world’s top-ranked T20I batter, has scored just 15 runs from 4 innings, including a stretch of three innings without opening his account. Tilak, the designated No. 3, has managed 107 runs at a strike rate of 118.88. Meanwhile, Rinku, who bats within the lower order, has recorded just one double-digit rating across five innings.
With Sanju Samson warming the benches, India may look to shake things up and break the monotony of getting left-handers at the highest three positions. Samson could replace either Abhishek, Tilak, and even Rinku.
“If the top coach and team management feel we’d like to do something different, we are going to do things in another way,” India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said on Sunday. “Definitely, the thought comes: if we now have to alter, what do we modify and the way do we modify?” Kotak didn’t mince words in regards to the proven fact that the team is in a difficult spot.
“Now we now have reached a degree where we’d like to think whether to do something different or follow the identical combination,” he added.
Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate hinted that it may not hurt to modify tactics and convey a right-hander into the highest order.
“Do you follow the blokes who’ve performed rather well during the last 18 months and perhaps are only just a few runs short now? Or can we twist and convey in Sanju, who’s also a implausible player and tactically helps with having a right-hander at the highest of the order?” Ten Doeschate said.
“I’m sure that Samson’s inclusion will probably be a talking point over the following few days going into these two very necessary games against Zimbabwe and West Indies,” he added.
Rinku Batting at an ‘Incredibly Tough’ Position
Ten Doeschate expressed sympathy for Rinku, who has the challenge of maximizing limited opportunities given his lower-order batting position.
“Rinku, I feel that No. 7/8 position has turn into incredibly tough in T20 cricket. You have a look at where he walked in against Namibia – he needed to turn down singles three or 4 times, so yes, it might appear to be he scored just two or eight balls,” he said.
“After which he is available in during a reasonably hopeless situation again tonight, and he opts to go for the boundary to get us as close as possible. On a wicket that holds a bit, that may occur. So he hasn’t had the perfect opportunities, but that’s the character of the position. We’re on the phase now where only performances will speak. There’s no point talking about rhythm in nets or how players feel,” he added.
February 23, 2026, 11:32 IST
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