India’s crushing defeat to South Africa in their opening Super Eight clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday has sparked intense scrutiny over where the hosts went wrong in such a crucial game.
On a slow Ahmedabad track, South Africa batters applied to the conditions, especially David Miller (63), Dewald Brevis (45) and Tristan Stubbs (44*) who powered the Proteas to 187 for 7 in 20 overs. Then the bowlers led by Marco Jansen who picked a four-wicket haul ripped through India’s batting.
Ravichandran Ashwin came down heavily and criticised India’s decision of playing Washington Sundar over Axar Patel based on ‘match-ups’. The former India offspinner also questioned Rinku Singh’s batting position at No. 8.
“I agree that the IPL is good for match-ups, but you have to change the team because you are going to play 14 games. But in such ICC campaigns, the more stable you can keep the team, the better. I agree 100 per cent that you have to use Washington Sundar against left-handers; you have to play him, I agree with all that. But Axar Patel has been your MVP in T20 cricket. Let’s not forget what Axar Patel has done,” Ashwin was quoted as saying on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin also remembered the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa where Axar put up a crucial 72-run partnership with Virat Kohli and helped India post 176. He felt India did a blunder by leaving out Axar on Sunday.
“In the previous World Cup, in the situation against South Africa, in which India was in the chase, Axar Patel came in under the same circumstances. He stitched a partnership with Virat Kohli, and India crossed 170. Of course, Kohli’s experience was there, but Axar is not inferior. If India had a few wickets in hand and stability in the middle overs, they would have chased the target down,” Ashwin said.
India had been lucky in the group stage where their batting had come undone in games against USA, Netherlands but they somehow came through. But in Ahmedabad and on a tricky pitch with the ball gripping, a good team like South Africa exposed their batting. Ashwin also criticised the decision to play Rinku Singh at No. 8 while Washington Sundar batted at No. 5 in the Super Eight clash on Sunday.
“Rinku Singh batting at No. 8. You have eight batters, and Rinku is batting at No. 8, he cannot be sent in to bat at such a position.
“No disrespect to Washington Sundar. He is a fabulous batter. We know his batting skills. It was a lesson South Africa taught India, ‘please don’t come to games underprepared’,” Ashwin said.
