Super 8: Time for damage control as India must win big vs Zimbabwe

Three days after the humiliation at the hands of South Africa in Ahmedabad, the refrain from some TV pundits is that reigning champions India perhaps received a ‘shake-up’ in time. In reality, it was more than a shake-up as apart from putting a serious question mark on India's semi-final hopes, it was the manner in which the Proteas exposed that the Men in Blue were beatable after all in this format.

The air of invincibility that Suryakumar Yadav’s men had created around them with a winning streak in the bilaterals ever since the 2024 triumph (not to speak of the 12-match sequence across two T20 World Cups) on belters across India suddenly lies exposed — and it will not escape the thinktanks of their rivals. While not all opponents may be technically as equipped as the South Africans, they have now found the mantra that slowing down the game against India’s top order can apply the brakes on them.

“You win 12 matches on the trot, there’s bound to be an off day. And I’m glad it has come early. It might just be the shake-up India needed,” former India international and head coach Ravi Shastri told the ICC website. “It might also make them rethink their strategy as to the composition of the side going ahead. They would have learned from that last experience that they’re not going to take things for granted because in this Super Eight if you lose one more (match), then you’re really putting yourself under serious pressure.”

Forget a second loss, the emphatic 76-run defeat on Sunday has sparked a deluge of ifs and buts in the media on what India needs to do and the possible scenarios for the two teams to make it to the semi-finals from Group I. The first scenario which works for India without the vagaries of Net Run Rate (NRR) is if India win both their remaining matches (Zimbabwe & West Indies) and South Africa also do the same, then both go through as the top two teams.

However, there is a possibility of South Africa, West Indies and India all finishing on four points each if the Proteas drop their game to the Windies on Thursday, and this is where the hosts will have to get their act together for a mathematical rescue mission for the NRR factor. For the record: India are currently third in Group 1 with an NRR of -3.800, far behind leaders West Indies (+5.350) and South Africa (+3.800).

This effectively means India must use the Zimbabwe game on Thursday evening very much the same way as the West Indies did when they piled up 254, the second highest total in the history of the tournament, and then try to restrict the opposition to as low a reply as possible. The firepower that India have at their disposal suggests that they are best equipped to do so, and they should continue to believe if they want to make a match of it.

The news from the Indian camp is there could be a couple of changes on the cards, with vice-captain Axar Patel almost a certainty to come in, in place of Washington Sundar. There are calls for Sanju Samson to open with Ishan Kishan but then, a gamble with the off-colour Abhishek Sharma may be worthwhile in a scenario where India will need a 200-plus total on the Chennai track.

Speaking to the media, India’s batting coach Sitangshu Kotak tried to downplay the so called batting crisis, which saw a number of key batters average in the 20s in the tournament. ‘’I honestly don’t think we need to change too many things. Technically, like people ask about Sanju as a righthanded batter upfront or you think of playing three spinners. Obviously, there are 15 players, so all those we will discuss. We have not got an opening start so far but once we get it, it will be a different environment again,’’ he said.

The update on finisher Rinku Singh, meanwhile, is he is expected to rejoin the squad on Wednesday evening after rushing back to Aligarh to be with his father, who has been diagnosed with cancer.

It would then be a busy day for the India camp throughout Thursday. Even before looking to demolish Zimbabwe, they will be keeping a wary eye on the dressing room TV sets for the outcome of the Windies-SA game in the afternoon!

Catch the match

Super Eight (Group 1), 26 February

West Indies vs South Africa (Ahmedabad, 3 pm)

India vs Zimbabwe (Chennai, 7 pm)