Former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron has raised concerns over the Indian team’s decision to give only two overs to Washington Sundar in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match against South Africa. Aaron emphasized that Sundar was selected in the playing XI as a genuine bowler and should have been given the opportunity to bowl at least three overs.
The Indian team made a bold move by sticking with Sundar over vice-captain Axar Patel for the crucial encounter against South Africa on Sunday, February 22 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Sundar had featured in India’s previous group match against the Netherlands, where Axar was rested. India opted for an unchanged playing XI for the Super 8 clash against South Africa.
Sundar, an off-spinner, was preferred over left-arm spinner Axar due to the number of left-handed batsmen in the South African lineup. However, Sundar only bowled two overs, conceding 17 runs. During a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, Aaron questioned India’s utilization of Sundar in the match, stating, “Washington Sundar went for 11 in his first over. No worries, anybody can go for 11. But, he came back and gave you a six-run over. Why didn’t you give Washington Sundar another over? You’ve played him as a proper bowler. You’ve got to give the proper bowler another over.”
Apart from Sundar, leg-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy also struggled, finishing with figures of 1-47 from his four overs. Among the pacers, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube were expensive, with Pandya conceding 45 runs in four overs and Dube taking 1-32 in two overs.
Following the defeat to South Africa, India’s chances of advancing to the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals have been severely impacted. They now need to win their remaining Super 8 matches and aim for big victories to enhance their run rate. Aaron, however, sees this situation as a potential positive for India, suggesting that they might adopt a more aggressive approach against Zimbabwe.
India will face Zimbabwe in their second Super 8 match in Chennai on February 26 before taking on West Indies in Kolkata on March 1. The upcoming games will be crucial for India to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
The article was edited by Renin Wilben Albert.
