Captain Suryakumar Yadav, right, head coach Gautam Gambhir, second left, with the team. (PTI Photo) CHENNAI: When was the last time Indian players were forced to watch the next match before taking the field? It’s hard to remember, but that’s exactly the position they’re in right now in the T20 World Cup. Before India take on Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday, Suryakumar Yadav & Co. hope South Africa beat West Indies in Ahmedabad. If it goes the other way, it could take things out of their control, with Zimbabwe also needing to beat South Africa. While India’s resounding defeat against South Africa, which left them with a net run rate (NRR) of -3.8, landed them in this mess, it wasn’t exactly a bolt from the blue.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Right from the first match against the USA, the Indian batting line-up was found wanting, but there seemed to be a particular reluctance to accept the shortcomings. Captain Suryakumar Yadav literally laughed off a journalist’s query about likely changes in the batting order ahead of the South Africa match, but their humiliating loss changed every equation. Changes are now being considered and there is a strong possibility that Sanju Samson will be called upon to open the batting. “There can be changes, yes. There are three left-handers at the top and in the last three games we have lost a wicket in the first over. I personally don’t think there is any big problem but we will see how we deal with it,” batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said on Wednesday.
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It was a hot day in Chennai on Wednesday as the summer started and only two players – C Varun and Tilak Varma – turned up for the optional practice. However, on Tuesday night, the team had a four-hour session where every batsman tried to get their way right from the start. Surya and Tilak, who may be one slot down if Sanju plays, looked most keen to hit every ball out of the park. Both have struggled with their strike rates and know there won’t be much time to settle in at Nos. 4 and 5.However, Kotak was not ready to buy the idea of the duo struggling for form. “The game against South Africa was really bad but that happened. But against Pakistan we knew what we wanted and 175 was above par. Tilak and Surya played according to the situation,” said the batsman.While restoring batting pace is India’s top priority, there is also a strong possibility that Axar Patel will return in place of Rinku Singh, who has returned home to take care of his ailing father. “We’re probably looking at an all-rounder at No.8,” Kotak said in response to another query. But it left enough hints that Axar, whose dismissal in Ahmedabad raised eyebrows, would be back.The Chepauk pitch is likely to be a belter – a 200-plus score shouldn’t be a problem if India bat first and don’t lose wickets in a heap. That can completely knock Zimbabwe, a competent side without much firepower, out of the game. Ryan Burt, one of Zimbabwe’s best all-rounders, feels that India will also be carrying excess baggage. “It’s a must-win game for us as it is for India. They lost pretty badly in the first game and so did we. Obviously we’ve learned our lessons and we want to build on that,” Burt said.Team Zimbabwe left on Tuesday and Wednesday’s training session was their first in Chepauk. The conditions at the venue are quite different from what they experienced in Sri Lanka where they beat Australia and Sri Lanka. Burt agreed that it would be a challenge.There was good news for Zimbabwe as their captain Sikandar Raza – who was hit on the hand while bowling while playing against the West Indies – regained fitness.
