Published: February 24, 2026 | Category: International Cricket | Reading Time: 6 minutes
The hollow feeling of losing a big World Cup match at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad has returned to haunt Suryakumar Yadav. Following a crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa, India's title defence has been left on thin ice, saddled with a terrible Net Run Rate of -3.800. The team now faces immense pressure to improvise and secure victories in their remaining Super Eight fixtures against Zimbabwe and West Indies.
The defining motif of India's success in this World Cup cycle between 2024 and 2026 was their unyielding Powerplay intentions, where they scored at close to 10 runs an over. However, this aggressive identity was brutally exposed by the Proteas, who knocked the 2024 finalists back to a precarious 31/3 in the first six overs. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has been vocal about the team's struggles on sticky surfaces, emphasizing that the batters must find a way to play on wickets that are not typical to the docile, true surfaces they dominated on at home.
"I've sort of banged the drum about it," ten Doeschate said in Ahmedabad, highlighting the danger of swinging through the line when the ball holds up in the pitch.
This sudden tactical curveball has forced the management into a corner, leading to difficult selection decisions. For the South Africa clash, the team opted to drop experienced all-rounder Axar Patel in favor of Washington Sundar. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak revealed that captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir personally spoke to Axar to explain the strategic shift.
"We thought that an off-spinner was needed because three left-handers upfront," Kotak explained, though he noted that Sundar ultimately did not bowl in the Powerplay as originally planned. "Axar is such a player; he has played so much and performed so much, he doesn't lack confidence".
With their backs against the wall, the management is now actively rethinking their opening combination. While Ishan Kishan was initially backed over Sanju Samson due to better run-scoring form, the situation has prompted a serious re-evaluation.
"Now we are in a situation where we have to think about whether we need to change anything or if we should still go with the same thing," Kotak admitted. "If we have to change something, what do we change and how do we change it?".
As the crucial must-win games loom, the dressing room has no choice but to absorb the mounting anxiety. "One bad day we had - we have to accept it - we did not play well," Kotak stated firmly. "And we will have to move forward and try to win the two games properly because we do not have any other option, whether we take pressure or not".
Analysis Points
- How will India improve their terrible net run rate?
- Could Sanju Samson really start against Zimbabwe instead?
- What is Ryan ten Doeschate's plan B for sticky wickets?