After India’s crushing 76 defeat against South Africa T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium, one question dominated the post-match debate: why was vice-captain Axar Patel left out in favor of Washington Sundar?
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate addressed the media to elaborate on the tactical thinking behind the controversial selection call that backfired spectacularly.
Axar Patel vs Washington Sundar: Powerplay bowling, matches and the Rinku Singh factor
Ten Doeschate revealed that the team management spent considerable time discussing the playing XI before the match and the final decision was based on match-specific considerations against South Africa’s left-handed batsmen.
“A key part of the strategy today was how well he (Washington) played in the powerplay in T20 cricket.” Ten Doeschate gave an explanation at the post-match press conference. “The idea was to have three front-rowers and Washington, with the other two sharing the role of fifth bowler. Winning the power play will be crucial. We envisioned Washington not being 30 for 3. That first position gives you flexibility with the bat as well.”
The coaching staff has identified Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton and David Miller as the main threats, prompting them to favor spinners over left-arm spinner Axar Patel to suit the left-handers better.
Ten Doeschate emphasized that the decision was also influenced by the desire to preserve hitting depth. “In retrospect, you could argue that it seemed like the right decision to drop a batter and play an extra frontcourt player. But at the time, we made decisions and felt we needed Rinku as an eighth hitter. And the decision was based on that.”
He emphasized that Axar’s release is in no way a reflection of his ability or importance to the team. “It’s certainly not a reflection on Akhar – his leadership and importance to the team is undeniable. But it’s a challenge we face almost every week: putting 11 players in a 15-man squad. It’s not easy and we have to make sure we get it right in the next two Super Eight games.”
“In hindsight, it looked like the wrong decision”: Ryan ten Doeschate
Perhaps most significantly, ten Doeschate publicly admitted that the selection call did not work. “We spent a lot of time discussing. We were watching matches. It seemed like the wrong decision though. Don’t take anything away from the stream. I’m very disappointed,” he told reporters.
He explained his thought process in detail: “On balance, given that we expected most of the threat to come from lefties and wanted the extra punch, it was a straight choice between Washington and Akhar. And we went with Washington.”
Despite the clear tactical rationale, the plan fell apart in execution. Sundar lost just twice without taking a wicket out of 17 runs and was never used during the power play – the phase where he is believed to have excelled.
With the bat, Sundar moved up to No. 5 during India’s collapse, but managed just 11 runs off 11 balls, failing to stabilize the innings. Ten Doeschate defended the promotion, explaining that Akhar would have faced the same situation had he played. “If Akhar was playing in that team today, he would be in the same position at 3-on-20 no matter what.”
India’s heavy left-handed batting order is an area of ​​concern
The defeat exposed deeper structural problems in India’s batting approach. Ten Doeschate admitted that teams have consistently exploited India’s left-arm heavy top order by opening with part-time off-spin.
Also READ: Fans react as South Africa thrash India in a Super 8 clash at the T20 World Cup 2026.
“Four times now teams have opened against us with a part-time spin and taken the wicket … it’s obviously something we have to look at.” he said. This led to discussions of potentially bringing in Sanju Samson as a right-handed option at the top. “Do you stick with guys who have performed in the last 18 months and are now low on runs, or do you twist and bring a right-hander to the top? This is a discussion we will have in the next few days.”
Gautam Gambhir faces scrutiny
Head coach Gautam Gambhir it faced heavy criticism from fans and pundits after the failed test. Now that India need to win both their remaining Super 8 matches against Zimbabwe and West Indies to keep their semi-final hopes alive, the team management must quickly resolve the selection dilemmas that led to the biggest defeat in T20 World Cup history.
Also READ: 3 biggest defeats for India in T20 World Cup history
