WILL SANJU SAMSON REPLACE TILAK VARMA? The Indian cricket team is expected to make some harsh changes in their playing XI in order to bring their campaign in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 back on track. Team India suffered a 76-run defeat against South Africa in their first Super 8 game at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
VIDEO – Sanju Samson Facing Jasprit Bumrah In Nets Ahead Of IND vs ZIM
This defeat against the Proteas side has put India’s semifinal qualification chances in jeopardy. The Men in Blue were outplayed by the talented South African bowlers, who exposed the Indian batters. It has to be noted that this was the first defeat of Team India in the ongoing ICC tournament and also their first defeat in the ICC events since the ODI World Cup 2023 final.
Now, in order to qualify for the semi-final round, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side desperately needs to register big wins in their next two games, which are against Zimbabwe and the West Indies. India needs to defeat both teams with big margins to improve their net run rate.
Meanwhile, as fans and cricket experts are asking for some big changes in the batting lineup, a video is going viral on the internet, where wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson can be seen facing Jasprit Bumrah during a practice session ahead of the IND vs ZIM Super 8 clash.
Watch the viral video:
🚨Sanju Samson facing Jasprit Bumrah bowling during a practice session ahead of the IND vs ZIM Super 8 match in the T20 World Cup 2026.
Sanju Samson will play against Zimbabwe. pic.twitter.com/rodHI39dEy
— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) February 24, 2026
Sanju Samson has played only one match in the ongoing tournament. He played a promising knock of 22 runs off just 8 deliveries against the Namibia cricket team. Sanju was dropped from the playing XI, and Ishan Kishan was brought in.
There are chances that the team management introduce Sanju Samson as a surprise replacement for Tilak Varma, who has been going through a rough patch with the bat right now.
Tilak Varma has been struggling to score runs in the tournament. So far, Tilak has amassed just 106 runs in five games. However, it will be interesting to see where Sanju Samson will bat if India decides to bring him back in the batting lineup again.
Ten Doeschate Hints At Sanju Samson’s Return To The Playing XI
Another reason why India can bring Sanju Samson in is the fact that the current top-order of the team is heavily left-handed, which has prompted the opposition teams to utilise their off-spinners effectively in the opening overs.
Ahead of the IND vs ZIM Super 8 Clash, Ten Doeschate suggested that Sanju Samson could return to the playing XI.
“Yeah, of course we have. And look, in the five outings we’ve had now, four teams have opened with part-time off-spin and it’s brought a wicket every time, apart from the USA game where we lost Abhishek without score in any case. So to start every innings nought for one — I think it’s literally been nought or a couple of runs for one every time — is obviously putting pressure on the players,” said Ten Doeschate at the post-match press conference.
Ten Doeschate added that the team management would discuss the ideal combination of the team for the remaining two crucial Super 8 matches.
“Look, there’s a lot of inexperience in the team and you want a settled side. These guys have done it all before. They’re all fantastic players. So do you stick or twist? Do you stick with the guys who we feel have performed really well over the last 18 months and who are maybe just short of a few runs now? Or do we twist and bring in Sanju, who’s also a fantastic player and obviously helps tactically by having a right-hander at the top of the order? I’m sure that will be a talking point over the next few days going into these two very important games,” he added.
India’s probable playing XI against Zimbabwe
Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
