India Playing XI puzzle vs Zimbabwe: Sanju Samson a strong contender, Axar Patel likely to return

The stakes are high. The remaining Super Eight matches are must-win games, contingent on South Africa’s results going in their favour. The situation wasn’t this desperate but the “worst game in the last two years” has now put the Indian cricket team in a tight spot ahead of clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai. The last five matches showed the defending champions were tactically predictable due to an overdose of left-handers. Ever since the debacle in Ahmedabad on Sunday, calls to add a right-hander have only grown louder. Not that Sanju Samson is the answer to all problems but he gives you a tactical edge and could well force the oppositions to move away from the predictable off-spinner plan.

The wicketkeeper-batter had a long hit in the nets on Tuesday and strong Playing XI hint emerged when he donned the big gloves for the drills towards the fag end of the session. He faced a mix of pace and spin during the marathon hit and grew more confident as he played against Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar. India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said after the South Africa game that Samson would be a talking point in the next few days and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak confirmed that the discussions have revolved around the right-hander. Kotak, however, kept the Playing XI cards close to his chest.

“There can be changes, yes. It goes without saying that we discussed, because there are two lefty openers, number three is also left-handed and opposition is bowling off-spin. I personally don’t think that there is any problem there also. But because we lost wicket in first over, obviously any team would think. So we are thinking and we will see how it goes because we never decide the team too early and obviously it is not fair to start telling your plannings also in so advance. But yes, definitely there will be thoughts,” said Kotak on eve of the match.

If Sanju returns to the India XI, it will balance the left-right issue, but the entry points for the middle order, especially the firing lower-order, led by Shivam Dube, could become interesting for the remaining two games. Dropping Tilak Varma for Samson and moving Ishan Kishan to No. 3 could have been another option but Kotak’s backing for the left-hander didn’t point in that direction. This is despite a sorry showing this tournament – 107 runs in five innings at a strike-rate of 118.88. Kotak supported Tilak and watched over him during the side’s optional practice session in the afternoon.

“Tilak has no such issues. In the Pakistan game, our target was good. I said earlier that 175 on that wicket was good enough. And we followed the planning. Because the same thing – and there the ball was actually spinning. And after that start, any team wouldn’t want is 3-4 wickets to go at once. So Tilak… it is a matter of two boundaries. Sometimes a batsman doesn’t get those balls. If he is at 34-35 in 30 – 32 balls or at 26 in 28 balls – if he gets one or two boundaries and a six, he will be at 38.

“So I don’t think it is a question of run a ball. Neither he has any such instruction, neither he himself is thinking like that. Sometimes depending on wickets and depending on situation, I think there was more about partnerships in that game in Colombo and I think we achieved that. Yes, if Hardik had clicked more, who got out on the first ball, then we were hoping for 190 and we knew that was above par score and everyone knows that. So, there is no such tension of Tilak or Abhishek or even of losing one match.”

The other talking point would be Rinku Singh and his place in the playing XI. The left-hander has had mediocre returns in the tournament and missed both team training sessions due to a personal emergency. Although he is set to rejoin the side on Wednesday evening, holding on to the spot looks highly unlikely at this stage. This could leave management with another change. If Samson walks in with Tilak holding his spot, the two players on their way out could well be Rinku Singh and Washington Sundar, making room for all-rounder and vice-captain Axar Patel.

It will be interesting to see what kind of batting order they opt for but adding a right-hander in the mix gives them a tactical edge — something that has indeed been a talking point recently.

“The discussions, to be very honest, if I tell you, it is more about tactical. A lot of tactical discussion goes on, the guys are bowling here, this is how we are approaching, this is how you are approaching, what other options you have for any batsman. Not just for Tilak, for Abhishek also, if you would have seen yesterday, it was the same thing we talked. So those things are more about planning, what a batsman can prepare and how much he actually wants to do that because end of the day it is batsman’s thing to decide what he likes, what he wants to do. But to give different ideas is obviously our job,” explained Kotak.

Apart from lacking the fire and confidence of the preceding bilaterals, India have been tactically questionable. Thursday presents an opportunity not only to address that but also to find the XI which can help them cover all bases, and stay ahead of the opposition.