T20 World Cup 2026: Ricky Ponting Wants India To Go Back To The Basics, Focus On Lineup Ahead Of Super 8 Clash vs Zimbabwe: ‘It Just Comes Down To…’

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes India should focus on picking their strongest playing XI instead of worrying too much about matchups when they face Zimbabwe in their next Super Eight match on Thursday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Ponting shared his thoughts on The ICC Review. He said he heard during commentary that Axar Patel was left out against South Africa because the opposition had several left-hand batters. However, Ponting pointed out that there were still right-handers in the South African team. According to him, team selection should not be based only on such factors. He said it depends on the captain’s skill to use a bowler like Axar at the right time during the match.

India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, suffered a heavy 76-run defeat against South Africa in their first Super Eight game in Ahmedabad. It was a disappointing start to this stage of the tournament. Now, India will look to bounce back when they take on Zimbabwe in Chennai on Thursday. After that match, India will play their final Super Eight game against the West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday.

“I would be going back to the basics. I’d be just looking at their lineup. Who’s our best XI for the conditions in Chennai?” added Ponting, who has led Australia to two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup triumphs. “If that has Axar Patel in it, great. If it has Kuldeep Yadav in it, that’s the other one that I’d be thinking about bringing back because it doesn’t matter with him if it’s left-hand or right-hand. He can bowl wrong ones and spin the ball away from the left-hand outside edge of both those batters,” said Ponting.
Quality spinners have made an impact at the T20 World Cup, especially in the matches played in India. Former Indian cricketer and now commentator, Ravi Shastri, also believed that India will make changes in the playing XI and Axar Patel may play the match against Zimbabwe.

“I think they have to bring him (Axar Patel) back. You need that experience,” said Shastri.
He said, “I would say play both (Patel and Sundar). Give yourself that extra option. Because on a given day, you’re bound to have one bowler who’s going to have an off day. Like, for example, Varun Chakravarthy on Sunday. He was not at his best, and he paid the price for it. If Axar Patel is playing, he might be batting at No.8. You have got Hardik Pandya at No.5, you’ve got Shivam Dube at No.6, you’ve got Washington Sundar at No.7. Axar can go at No.5 as well.”

“Now, if eight batters can’t do the job in T20 cricket, then something’s wrong, especially with that kind of firepower. What you’re missing out on is that you’re not giving yourself that extra option of a bowler, which I think is important. Rinku Singh might have to miss out. But if he has to come in, he has to come in place of a specialist batter,” concluded Shastri.