Following a bruising 76-run defeat to South Africa that has left India’s T20 World Cup title defense on life support, the team management is set to make critical selection calls for the Super 8 encounter in Chennai. With a daunting Net Run Rate (NRR) of -3.800, the must-win math is simple, making the selection calls all the more crucial.
Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate signalled a potential shift when answering the question on whether the team was contemplating a change in the side for the match against Zimbabwe on Feb 26 (Thursday).
India’s top-order: Who sits out?
The spotlight is firmly on the opening combination. Abhishek Sharma, despite a stellar 18-month run in domestic cricket, has struggled under the World Cup lights, logging three ducks in four matches.
Ten Doeschate confirmed that bringing in Sanju Samson is a major talking point. A right-handed option at the top could neutralise the early off-spin trap that has seen India lose a wicket in the first over in four of their five matches.
If the management decides to bring in Samson, Abhishek Sharma is the most likely candidate to sit out, allowing for a more balanced right-left opening pair.
The spin mix-up: Who plays in Chennai?
The MA Chidambaram Stadium could likely be a spin-friendly pitch. The omission of vice-captain Axar Patel in the previous game was widely criticised as a tactical blunder and he is expected to be the first name back on the sheet.
With Axar and Varun Chakaravarthy likely to start, the question becomes: who sits out to accommodate them? Washington Sundar, despite being a local favourite in Chennai, struggled for impact in Ahmedabad and may find himself on the bench.
In a game where India needs a massive victory margin, the management may play three specialist spinners to ensure they can bowl Zimbabwe out for a low total.
The pace unit settled?
With Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack, the battle for the second seamer may have been setteled with Arshdeep Singh. Mohammed Siraj is carrying a minor foot niggle, which may force him out of contention. Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube are the other seam bowling options.
India’s probable 11 vs Zimbabwe
Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson/Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh