Ex-RCB star questions Gautam Gambhir's tactic after India's T20 World Cup collapse vs USA

India suffered a terrible batting collapse [Source: @NeecheSeTopper/x.com]

Team India started their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a win on paper, but make no mistake, this match was anything but a smooth ride. At one stage at the Wankhede, the Men in Blue were staring straight down the barrel before captain Suryakumar Yadav pulled off a rescue job that saved the day.

What should have been a comfortable batting outing turned into a proper top-order horror show. And even though India eventually beat USA by 29 runs, the chatter after the game has been all about one thing: the confusing batting order.

Former India wicketkeeper and ex-RCB star Parthiv Patel has now openly questioned Gautam Gambhir’s tactical call that left many fans scratching their heads.

Parthiv Patel raises eyebrows over Gambhir tactic

Despite the win, the biggest talking point from the match was India’s batting order shuffle. The decision to send Shivam Dube ahead of Rinku Singh and Axar Patel didn’t sit well with many, including Parthiv Patel. Speaking on Star Sports’ show Follow the Blues, Parthiv admitted he was surprised by the move.

He pointed out that Rinku Singh has built a reputation as a crisis player. Someone who can hold one end when the top order collapses and guide the team to safety. According to Parthiv, Rinku has delivered those gritty knocks whenever the team has been in trouble, and sending him late didn’t make much sense.

"I was slightly surprised with the batting order as well. We have seen Rinku Singh is someone who can actually hold one end and try and get as many runs as we want. He has always got those fifties when the chips were down. That's why I was surprised to see Shivam Dube coming ahead of Rinku Singh,” Patel said.

With Gautam Gambhir now at the helm of team strategy, this tactical move has come under the scanner. Because in tournaments like the World Cup, one wrong call can snowball into a bigger problem.

USA pacers leave India in all sorts of trouble

After losing the toss and being asked to bat, India walked into a storm they didn’t see coming. USA’s pacers came out breathing fire and made the Indian batters dance to their tunes.

Abhishek Sharma didn’t last long and walked back in just the second over. That early wicket opened the floodgates. Ishan Kishan tried to fight fire with fire. He smashed two sixes and raced to 20, but his aggressive approach cost him his wicket as he holed out to mid-off.

Tilak Varma then tried to steady the ship. He looked fluent and stitched together a quick 25 off 16 balls. Just when India needed him to bat deep, he went for a big shot and found USA skipper Monank Patel at mid-wicket. From there, it was a proper collapse.

The middle order folded like a pack of cards. Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya all fell for single-digit scores. Suryakumar slammed 49-ball 84* to help India post 161/9.

Bowlers pull India out of trouble

If the batters had an off day, the bowlers made sure India didn’t pay the price. Defending 162, India came out all guns blazing. Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh ripped through the USA top order and reduced them to 13/3 in no time. That early burst pushed USA on the back foot immediately.

USA eventually finished at 132/8. Siraj starred with 3/29, while Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel chipped in with two wickets each to seal the deal.

Bigger tests await India

India next face Namibia in their second Group A clash on Thursday. On paper, it looks like a straightforward game. But after this shaky start, the Men in Blue will know they need to tighten a few screws.