Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium witnessed a nightmare for Indian cricket fans as Team India crashed to a humiliating 76-run defeat against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super-8 stage. Marking the biggest margin of loss by runs in T20 WC history, the result has put the spotlight firmly on underfiring batsmen Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma.
Both openers continued their poor form, with Abhishek scraping 15 off 12 and Tilak dismissed for a duck-like 1. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate’s presser comments have ignited speculation about Sanju Samson’s return to the XI.
‘Sanju is a superb player, and a right-hander at the top offers great technical variety,’ ten Doeschate said. He hinted at ongoing deliberations, paving the way for Samson to feature against Zimbabwe and West Indies.
Ten Doeschate was candid about Abhishek’s food poisoning woes and psychological pressure from repeated failures, yet insisted on accountability. Tilak’s output has also disappointed. Despite Samson’s proven prowess versus South Africa, the team stuck with Abhishek, only to be let down again.
As India grapples with this setback, the push for Samson grows. This could be the shake-up needed to salvage Super-8 hopes, blending experience with explosiveness in the top order.