India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (ANI Photo)

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has taken a swipe at head coach Gautam Gambhir following India’s crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa national cricket team in their Super 8 opener of the T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad. The loss, the heaviest ever for India in T20 World Cup history, has pushed the defending champions to the edge of elimination and severely dented their net run rate. Widely backed to become the first side to successfully defend a T20 World Cup crown, the Suryakumar Yadav-led outfit now face must-win games to stay alive in the tournament.

Manjrekar questioned several tactical decisions, particularly the elevation of Washington Sundar to No. 5 during India’s unsuccessful chase of 188 after early wickets. The move came after Sundar was preferred over vice-captain Axar Patel, a selection that had already sparked debate, though team management described it as a tactical call. Speaking on Stump Mic on CNN-News18, Manjrekar used a pointed analogy to describe Sundar’s expanding role in the XI. “Kailas Jeevan, there used to be a medicine by that name back in the day. If you had a headache, you would use it. If you had a stomach issue, you would take it. It was an all-in-one remedy. Gautam Gambhir seems to have an all-in-one solution for everything too, Washington Sundar,” Manjrekar said on CNN-News18’s Stump Mic while analysing India’s batting performance. “If there’s a batting problem, Washi. If there’s a bowling problem, Washi. He was promoted up the order to No. 5 today, and then Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya walked in at No. 7. It was just too much,” he added. South Africa capitalised on India’s vulnerability against changes of pace, with Lungi Ngidi troubling the batters through well-disguised slower deliveries. Manjrekar stressed that this area requires urgent attention, singling out captain Suryakumar Yadav. “Forget fast bowling, focus on playing the slower balls. They are not able to handle slower balls or spinners. The captain is struggling the most against slower deliveries,” he said. India now turn their focus to a decisive clash against Zimbabwe national cricket team. Not only must they win to keep their semi-final hopes intact, but they will also need a comprehensive victory to repair the damage inflicted on their net run rate in Ahmedabad.

Shoaib Akhtar slams Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar slammed India’s bowling attack after their heavy 76-run loss to South Africa in the T20 World Cup Super 8 match. He said the defeat exposed how fragile India’s bowling unit is, especially against strong batting line-ups like the Proteas.Akhtar was particularly critical of Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, who gave away 67 runs in six overs for just one wicket. He felt they lacked pace and intimidation, and that using them in the death overs was a tactical mistake.

“Hardik and Shivam Dube were bowling at around 120 kmph. It’s not as if they are Malcolm Marshall — someone who would intimidate a batting line-up of South Africa’s calibre. If you deploy them in the death overs, such a counterattack from the Proteas is inevitable,” he said on Tapmad.He also pointed out that India’s bowling looked vulnerable overall, with South African batters dominating even the team’s key bowlers. Akhtar highlighted Varun Chakaravarthy’s expensive spell, saying his usual pace was down and that he was punished by the batters. “Indian bowling has been exposed. If you look at Varun, whose strength is bowling at 97-98 kmph, he was clocking 94. And when he came into the attack, he was hit for a no-look six by Dewald Brevis,” he added.Akhtar suggested that India should bring Kuldeep Yadav into the team, calling him the “missing link” who can trick batters and take wickets at crucial moments. “The missing link here is Kuldeep Yadav. He is someone who can deceive batters in the air and pick up wickets when needed. He is a proven match-winner.”He also felt that Varun Chakaravarthy and Washington Sundar offer similar skills, making India’s bowling attack predictable and easier for top teams to attack.

South Africa players celebrate the wicket of India’s Washington Sundar during the T20 World Cup cricket match in Ahmedabad. (AP)

TimesofIndia.com in Ahmedabad: “We’ve watched other games and it was nice to just have both left-handers, with the ball spinning away. It gives some sort of option where if it’s not turning it can go straight through the gate or if it does hold a little bit like it did, it gives you that hope that we can get a wicket in the first over.“Light giggles broke out in the press conference room when David Miller was asked about the plan to start with Aiden Markram. The South African batter’s response was what most reporters had heard before, in the same hall when the Netherlands’ Bas de Leede responded to a similar query. South Africa took a cue from the Netherlands, who must have been encouraged by how the game against Pakistan unfolded. The arch-rivals would have surely been encouraged by how Namibia’s Gerhard Erasmus bowled in the Delhi fixture.

Different venues, different teams but all kept the approach simple. Bring in an off-spinner early and wait for the Indian batters to make a mistake. And they did. The part-time off-spin bowling from Salman Agha and Markram secured early wickets in their respective matches and Erasmus applied the middle-overs choke, especially with many left-handers to bowl at. Netherlands Aryan Dutt followed the basics and removed both Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma in the powerplay. Obsessed with match-ups, India have been way off the mark in the tactical battles.From poor shot selection and a lack of game awareness to having no Plan B, the T20I World Cup has been a very bumpy ride lacking any careful maneuvering. Panic was palpable in the dugout when Miller and Dewald Brevis put South Africa back on track, from being 20/3, and their calculated takedown of Varun Chakravarthy came as a rude shock to the think-tank. There was no one to apply that choke from the other end because the only bowler, Axar Patel, who was capable of doing that with his sharp game awareness and ability to deliver under pressure, was warming the bench.

Washington Sundar plays a shot during an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and South Africa. (PTI)

Washington Sundar, still an unproven commodity in the shortest format, was preferred because of the left-handers in the opposition camp. However, the moment two of them – Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton – were dismissed early, the lack of a Plan B exposed India and Miller-Brevis were in the mood to capitalise. The defence mechanism regarding Washington over Axar was fully displayed in post-match pressers, but it lacked the conviction and logic which everyone was looking for.“We spent so much time deliberating about the XI, the last couple of days. And I guess the only way that it sort of didn’t play into our hands is if we did have the ideal start like we did today with getting Quinton and Rickelton out so early. We were kind of looking at matchups more in the middle. And then obviously, someone has to give way. So – do we leave a batter out and get another bowler in, in hindsight, that looks like the right decision? “But obviously, playing it forward and making decisions at the time, we felt we needed Rinku, as an eighth batsman, so to speak. And the decision was based around there. But certainly, it’s not to take anything away from Axar and his leadership and how important he is to the team. But look we face almost every week to try to squeeze 11 places into 15, We’re finding tricky. And we need to make sure we get that spot on for the next two Super 8 games,” said assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.

David Miller and Dewald Brevis stitched a 97-run partnership during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Group 1 match against India. (ANI)

India complicated the Playing XI selection more than necessary, and captain Suryakumar Yadav wasn’t proactive enough to regain control while Miller and Brevis were scoring freely. Every bowler can have an off day, and Varun did. However, giving the extra over to Arshdeep Singh during the powerplay — a desperate move to take another wicket — probably backfired, as both he and Jasprit Bumrah were forced to bowl their remaining overs in the death.Had there been more cushion for the slog overs, one Bumrah over could have well made the difference in the middle-overs because the local boy was in a different mood at the Narendra Modi Stadium. His spell of 3/15 was the sole reason South Africa didn’t cross the 200-run mark. However, 187 proved to be far more than India would have liked in that chase and South Africa’s takedown of India’s X-factor, Varun, deserves significant appreciation.“He’s a world-class bowler and he has had huge success, in all different formats that he’s played, all different leagues and, yeah, especially international. So I think for us it was more just, I mean, it’s not like in the past where we’ve been quite tentative but I think it’s just about really making sure that we were on it in terms of if he bowls a bad ball we got to put it away – so a little bit more intent. “And it wasn’t spinning too much tonight, so you can kind of trust the line. And once we felt that, then we felt, OK, we’ve got to take him down, because he is a threat to every team that he does play against. So it was definitely something that we did speak about,” said Miller on their plans for Varun.

Jasprit Bumrah was one bright spark for India on an otherwise poor day against South Africa in the T20 World Cup Super Eight. (AP)

South Africa showed how and why India are very much “beatable.” Their emphatic win, which severely impacted the hosts’ net run rate has increased calls for a lot of soul searching before the next game against Zimbabwe in Chennai on Thursday. Ahead of the South Africa fixture, Surya was categorically asked about Sanju Samson‘s potential place in the Playing XI to add a right-hander to the mix but he chose to laugh the suggestion off. A day later, the conversations around the same thought are getting louder with coach Ryan confirming that the wicketkeeper-batter will remain a talking point leading up to the crucial games.Should you drop the woefully out-of-form Abhishek Sharma? Or a struggling-to-get-going Tilak Varma? The options are on the table and it looks extremely difficult for the two left-handers to retain their place in the XI for the Zimbabwe clash.“They’re all fantastic players. So you stick with the guys who we feel have performed really well over the last 18 months and who are maybe shy of a few runs now? Or do we twist and bring Sanju, who’s also a fantastic player and obviously helps tactically with having a right hander at the top of the order and I’m sure that’ll be a talking point over the next few days going into these two very important games,” explained ten Doeschate.India have some time to make that crucial call but if they stick to the left-is-right approach, it will be a no-brainer to see Sikandar Raza at the top of the bowling mark when India’s openers walk out to bat in Chennai. He, too, would have seen the previous games involving the defending champions and could well have a response similar to Miller at the end of the match. It’s all very predictable and the ball is now in India’s court to surprise their opponents with tactical smarts.

David Miller and Washington Sundar (Getty)

India’s T20 World Cup title defence suffered a significant setback after a crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa in a high-stakes Super 8 clash. The night had begun brightly for the hosts, who reduced the Proteas to 20/3 with a sharp new-ball burst. But what followed was a complete shift in momentum, driven by a calculated counter-attack in the middle overs. David Miller turned the tide with a commanding 63 off 35 deliveries, striking seven fours and three sixes. Calm and assured for most of his innings, he rebuilt South Africa’s total alongside Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs, steering the innings towards a competitive 187/7. However, Miller’s composure briefly slipped during a tense on-field exchange with Washington Sundar. The flashpoint came when Stubbs nudged a single to the leg side and Miller set off from the non-striker’s end. Sundar appeared unhappy, believing Miller had left his crease early before the ball was released, and immediately raised the matter with the umpire. Miller responded by confronting Sundar, leading to a heated argument between the two. On-field umpire Chris Gaffaney stepped in to calm proceedings, and South Africa captain Aiden Markram later joined during the drinks interval to defuse the situation. The precise trigger for the disagreement remained unclear, and the tension did not resurface. Miller was dismissed shortly afterwards, briefly offering India hope. That hope faded quickly. Stubbs delivered a strong late flourish to lift the Proteas to 187, setting India a stiff target of 188. The chase unravelled almost instantly when the in-form Ishan Kishan fell for a duck. India never recovered. Partnerships were scarce, the required rate ballooned, and wickets tumbled steadily. Bowled out for 111, India slumped to a heavy 76-run loss, damaging their net run rate and leaving their Super 8 campaign hanging in the balance.

India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav during a training session at Arun Jaitley Stadium, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)

To cope with the comparatively sluggish pitches in the tournament, especially in Colombo, India want bowlers to up their game & batters to adapt faster…NEW DELHI: India’s pacers and spinners split into two separate nets on either of the centre square here at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Tuesday evening. For the next two hours, the bowlers bowled with full intensity, a rare scenario in the middle of a long and important tournament, in which players look to preserve energy for the big moments. The batters’ persistent assault has hogged headlines for over a month. Under the Kotla lights, the spotlight fell firmly on the bowlers going flat out two days out ahead of the game against Namibia here.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Only Abhishek Sharma, still recovering from a stomach illness, didn’t turn up for the rigorous session.The prep, expectedly, was for beyond just the match against Namibia. From the looks of it, the Indian team is carrying out a distinct change in their approach. With the match against Pakistan in Colombo on Feb 15 clearing all administrative and political hurdles late on Monday night, it’s time to put attention to detail. The scare against USA last Saturday notwithstanding, the tournament truly gets underway from Sunday for India. The conditions in Colombo, which have been distinctly different to what India have been playing in recently, are going to consume a lot of mind space.

“We understand the sentiments and the different politics between the two countries. But I think it’s really important for us just to focus on the cricket side of things. It’s going to be a challenge going to Colombo, where Pakistan have been (stationed) for the last two weeks. We are fully focused on bringing our best game to that fixture next week,” India’s straight-talking assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said on Tuesday.The nature of pitches in the tournament in general has not encouraged big scores so far. The comparatively sluggish pitch at the Premadasa stadium in Colombo, in particular, definitely isn’t going to escape the attention of the Indian think-tank. Hence, there’s this urge to deviate from the all-out-aggressive brand of batting, with the pitches expected to get tired and slower as the tournament progresses.“Judging how the pitches have played in the first five or six days of the tournament, there might be a slight revision in strategy and how we go about that,” Doeschate said.“The pitches haven’t played quite the way we thought yet and again we want to be adaptive. We should have been a lot better than we were in Mumbai (against USA). We have been going all out but with the kind of pitches around, you want a bit of technique,” he added before shifting the focus on the bowling attack.“I don’t think our bowlers have fired yet,” Doeschate said. “It’s maybe a little bit easy to look at the USA game and say that was a really good bowling performance, but you have to analyse it objectively in terms of where we put the ball and how we used the ball. We expect a lot more from the bowlers as well.“Having the world-class bowlers that we have, it does give the batters that freedom to make mistakes in this format. If you’re shooting for 250 all the time, you’re going to make mistakes. But we need to react to situations as well,” Doeshcate said.Washington provides optionsWith Washington Sundar going through his first practice session after recovering from a rib injury he sustained a month ago, the team has started reviewing combinations based on pitch conditions. “You know the luxury of having four allrounders is that you can change the combination. This is where Washington fits in,” Doeschate said.