Suryakumar Yadav Summoned To Take Big 'Tilak Varma' Call, Sanju Samson Involved

Irfan Pathan urges India to shuffle batting order (PC - x.com)

The unbeaten India suffered a hard loss to South Africa in the Super 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad last Sunday. Just after two games in Group 1, the reigning champions can be out of the race for the semifinal if they don't smell the beans just now.

With India's Net Run Rate reading -3.800, the Proteas and the West Indies are looking like the top contenders to proceed forward for the Group 1. As India faced a batting collapse, former all-rounder Irfan Pathan urged the team management and skipper Suryakumar Yadav to rejig the entire batting order ahead of the remaining Super8 games.

Pathan asks IND to shuffle entire batting

For starters, the T20 World Cup-winning player has asked the current Indian T20I captain to bat in place of Tilak Varma, who has notched just 107 runs at an average of 21.40 after five games.

"Maybe Surya should bat at number 3. To actually take away those three left-handers coming one after the other and just change that monotony," said Pathan to the host broadcasters.

Pathan also mentioned that India should break its current left-heavy norm and bring in players like Sanju Samson into the mix. Although he didn't suggest whether the wicketkeeper should replace Varma or Abhishek Sharma. Furthermore, he stated that Axar Patel, who has missed two games in a row, will get back.

"Apart from that, yes, they are left-handers. Yes, they'll be thinking about Sanju Samson as well, but I don't want the Indian team to think and tinker too much. I would think they should make only one change as far as the playing 11 is concerned. Axar should get in," the former Indian all-rounder further added.

"The Indian team might be thinking if they can get Kuldeep Yadav in because they must have seen the attack they got in as far as the West Indian team is concerned as well. So they might be thinking against Zimbabwe, should they get Kuldeep in and give him a go before the big game against West Indies as well," Pathan stated.

India's brutal loss in Ahmedabad

After 17 games without a loss in ICC tournaments, India faced their first setback when South Africa defeated the co-hosts by 56 runs. In that game, the Indian batting's ultra-attacking approach was exposed as they folded for Nelson in a chase of 187/7.

Interestingly, India's tactical plans were flattened last Sunday, as they fielded just two right-handers in the top eight. Moreover, the batting order has struggled throughout this T20 World Cup, but India made seriously questionable changes during the defeat to the Proteas.

The bowling department wasn't any less as they let the game slip after the Proteas were at 20/3 at one stage. Barring Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, all the other bowlers leaked runs left, right and centre.

Nevertheless, India will next face Zimbabwe at Chennai on Thursday, before they face the West Indies at Kolkata on Sunday; both matches will be must-win for the reigning champions.