India’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign has hit a major roadblock following a crushing 76-run defeat against South Africa in their first Super 8 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The renowned aggressive batting approach of the Men in Blue was nowhere to be seen on the tricky surface as they struggled against disciplined and well-planned bowling from the Proteas.
The most glaring concern for India was the prolonged failure of star opener Abhishek Sharmawhich was the cornerstone of their ultra-aggressive batting philosophy. Abhishek has had a memorable tournament so far, managing just 15 runs in four innings.
The left-hander opened the campaign with a duck against USA, who had clearly done their homework by placing the fielder in their favored deep extra-cover area where he was caught. Before the next match against Namibia, Abhishek suffered a stomach infection and was ruled out of the game. Abhishek has just 15 runs from four matches (Courtesy: AP)
He returned to the playing XI against Pakistan but again struggled against spin and fell for another duck in the very first over. The same scenario unfolded against the Netherlands as Aryan Dutt rattled the stumps again in the opener.
Abhishek finally opened his account in the tournament against South Africa, but the respite was short-lived. The southpaw looked desperate to get the bat on the ball and was dismissed for 15 off 12 deliveries after being fooled by a slower ball from Marc Jansen. It has been a tournament to forget for the world No.1 T20I batsman, who has yet to find any rhythm.
TIME TO BRING SANJA BACK?
With India now facing a must-win scenario after dominant victories by West Indies and South Africa, the team management hinted that Sanju Samson back in the playing XI stop the cycle of bad starts. Will India bring Sanju Samson back into the lineup? (Courtesy: AP)
However, fielding Abhishek in favor of Samson would be a considerable gamble, given Abhishek’s extraordinary T20I numbers and Samson’s struggles in the opening role. Samson has not been in his best form as an opener since 2025, scoring just 156 runs from 12 innings at an average of 13, with a top score of 37. He survived the over just twice in those 12 appearances.
Replacing Abhishek with Samson, who himself is struggling to cement his place in the team, may not be the most ideal for the team management. Going into another must-win clash against Zimbabwe with an unchanged squad would hardly be the smartest option given India’s repeated batting failures in the tournament.
TILAK VARMA- THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
While Abhishek continues to struggle at the top, the responsibility of holding the innings together after early setbacks has fallen on Tilak Varma’s shoulders – a role he has so far failed to fulfill. In five innings, Varma scored 107 runs at an average of 21.40 and a strike rate of 118.88.
Arguably the most important position in T20 cricket, Varma has been characterized by a questionable approach, even drawing criticism from former India batsman Sunil Gavaskar.
“He was a very smart batsman but I was a bit disappointed with his approach today,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.
“The wicket has already fallen. Yes, the required rate was 9.5 an over, but it wasn’t like you were chasing 15 an over.”
“You could have given yourself a bit more time, especially because Abhishek Sharma didn’t have runs at the other end. So it was up to you to hang on, build a partnership and get through those six overs. You don’t have to get to 70 with the wicket down – even 55 would have been a decent platform.”
Tilak’s brief stint at the crease against South Africa raised further concerns as he uncharacteristically danced down the track on his very second ball against Marc Jansen and shot over his left arm while attempting an innocuous shot. It looked like the southpaw was forcing himself into India’s aggressive batting template and playing in a manner unnatural to his strengths.
LEFT HEAVY TOP ORDER HELPS OPPONENTS?
The presence of three left-handers at the top of the order, combined with their inability to deal with the spin in time, gave the opposition a clear and repeatable blueprint for early breakthroughs against India. Introducing a right-handed batsman at the top could help break that cycle, a sentiment echoed by India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate after the loss in South Africa.
“Are you going to stick with the guys who we think have done really well over the last 18 months but are maybe missing a few runs now? Or do we turn around and bring in Sanja who is a fantastic player and also helps tactically by providing a right-hander at the top of the order?” ten Doeschate said at the post-match press conference.
“I’m sure that will be a big talking point over the next few days as we go into two very important games.”
THE SELECTION DILEMMA IS BIG
With qualification now hanging in the balance, India find themselves at an unfamiliar crossroads – torn between backing proven performers and making decisive changes under pressure.
However, the bigger concern lies in India’s lack of flexibility at the top of the order. A one-dimensional, left-heavy line-up allowed opponents to easily dictate matches and exposed technical and tactical weaknesses against spin in the powerplay.
Unless India show the courage to reshuffle roles and prioritize awareness of the game over identity-driven aggression, even a slight improvement in form may not be enough to turn their campaign around.
As they prepare for the most important stage of the tournament, the margin for error has almost disappeared. Whether India opt for continuity or change, the next selection process could well define their World Cup fate.
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Published on:
February 24, 2026
