![Twitter Reaction on India's defeat against SA.. [Source - AFP/x]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1771783163772_TwitterReactiononIndia'sdefeatagainstSA..jpg?type=hq)
Twitter Reaction on India's defeat against SA.. [Source - AFP/x]
India’s Super 8 campaign got off to a shocking start on Sunday as they fell 76 runs short against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Once seen as clinical favorites, India collapsed under pressure, leaving fans across the country in disbelief and sparking a torrent of reactions on X (formerly Twitter).
South Africa posted a commanding 187, thanks to David Miller’s sparkling half-century and a crucial partnership with Dewald Brevis, rescuing their innings after early setbacks. Tristan Stubbs’ late flourish ensured the total looked formidable, putting India in double mind at the end of the first half.
India's chase with the bat never got going as wickets fell at regular intervals, and their hopes of a strong start evaporated. Social media exploded with reactions to memes, critiques, and stunned commentary as fans reacted to the unexpected defeat and wondered what this meant for India’s T20 World Cup journey ahead.
Fans Slam Team Selection as Key Reason Behind India’s Shock Defeat
Looking deep into the reasons behind India’s defeat, fans reacted strongly to former captain and analyst Gautam Gambhir’s team selection. The biggest outrage was over leaving Axar Patel out of the playing XI, despite his key role in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 final win against South Africa. Supporters felt his all-round abilities could have steadied the innings.
Fans were equally critical of Washington Sundar’s inclusion in place of Axar. Many pointed out he was not fully match-ready after returning from injury and failed to make an impact with either bat or ball. Social media discussions highlighted that this choice disrupted the team balance and put India on the back foot early in the Super 8 clash.
The decision to exclude Axar in such a crucial home World Cup match left fans baffled. Many argued that his experience could have provided crucial breakthroughs and steadied the chase. X (formerly Twitter) exploded with criticism, with users seeing this tactical gamble as a key reason why India faltered against South Africa in Ahmedabad.
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Questions Raised as Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma Continues to Struggle
Fans were also particularly disappointed with Tilak Varma’s performance at number three. Known for his big-match temperament, he failed to provide the spark India needed in the crucial Super 8 clash. Despite previous flashes of brilliance, Tilak Varma could not find his rhythm, leaving fans frustrated and questioning whether he can handle high-pressure situations consistently.
The struggles extended to Abhishek Sharma, who continued his poor run in the tournament with yet another disappointing outing. After three consecutive ducks, social media users openly criticized the young batter, suggesting that his form and confidence issues are affecting India’s overall batting order.
Even with captain Suryakumar Yadav publicly backing the opener ahead of the match, the performance fell far short of expectations. Fans described India’s batting display as "embarrassing" and expressed concerns that such collapses in critical matches could seriously hamper India’s T20 World Cup campaign, leaving supporters needing time to digest the collapse.
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