High stakes atmosphere T20 World Cup Super 8s It turned cold for the team India In Ahmedabad, a clinical South African side exposed significant chinks in the Men in Blue’s armour. While the scoreboard told the story of a heavy defeat, the post-match discourse shifted towards the dugout. Former cricketer turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar voiced sharp, sarcastic criticisms of the head coach Gautam Gambhirs tactical maneuvers, especially the comprehensive “fix everything” approach. Washington Sundar.
With India’s semi-final hopes now hanging by a thread, the defeat has ignited fierce debate over team selection and the ability of India’s middle-order to handle complex changes of pace.
Sanjay Manjrekar criticizes Gautam Gambhir’s tactics of picking Washington Sundar
After the defeat, Manjrekar did not hold back as he analyzed the tactical collapses on CNN-News18’s Stump Mic. His main target was Gambhir’s over-reliance on Sundar as a tactical “Swiss Army Knife”, which Manjrekar felt was overplayed to the detriment of the team’s balance.
“Kailas Jeevan, once upon a time there was a medicine by that name. If you had a headache, you would use it. If you have stomach problems, you would take it. It was all a tool. Gautam Gambhir also has a solution for everything – Washington Sundar“,” Manjrekar noted with a touch of irony.
Criticism focused on the decision to promote Sundar to No. 5, which pushed proven finishers away. Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya below the rank. Manjrekar argued that this change created unnecessary pressure, saying, “If you have a stroke problem, Washi. If bowling is a problem, Washi… That was too much.” According to Manjrekar, this tactical rigidity reflects a lack of confidence in specialized roles when the stakes are highest.
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India steamroll in South Africa T20 World Cup Super 8 clash
While the selection drama unfolded off the field, the action on the field revealed a technical weakness in the Indian squad. South Africa’s bowling unit is taking a disciplined lead Good luckIndia dismantled the batting order not with raw pace but with slower deliveries disguised with skill. Offering a grip for change, the surface of Ahmedabad has become a graveyard for India’s aggressive intent.
Manjrekar highlighted that the fight against change of pace is becoming a recurring theme, especially for the captain. “Forget fast bowling, focus on playing the slower ball. captain (Suryakumar Yadav) struggle the most against slower deliveries,” he added. This assessment rings true after Ngidi and the South African attack were repeatedly forced into ill-timed innings from India’s upper and middle order.
The road ahead is now a steep climb. India must face Zimbabwe In a must-win match to keep their semi-final dreams alive. More than just a win, a huge margin is required to fix the Net Run Rate (NRR), which took a serious hit after the Ahmedabad collapse. As Gambhir faces his first major tactical crisis in the Super 8s, the pressure is on to see if he will stick to all-in-one tools or switch to a more traditional structure.
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