Former India coach Abhishek Nayar raised concerns about the Suryakumar Yadav-led side's opening combination after they struggled with off-spin in the powerplay in the first Super 8 clash against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026
India openers Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma were seen struggling against South Africa. Notably, Ishan Kishan has been one of the brighter performers, scoring 176 runs in five matches at an average of 35.20, making him India’s second-highest run-getter in the tournament so far.
Abhishek Nayar on Indian openers
In contrast, Abhishek Sharma, currently ranked the No.1 T20I batter in the world, has endured a disappointing campaign. The left-hander has managed just 15 runs in four matches and has been dismissed for a duck three times.
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Speaking on JioHotstar, Nayar, who was part of India's support staff in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, said there seems to be confusion and a lack of rhythm at the top of the order. He pointed out that off-spinners with the new ball are causing India real problems in the first six overs.
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He further warned India for West Indies because the side could deploy options such as Roston Chase early in the innings to prepare specific tactical responses.
"It's going to be a very uncomfortable discussion between Ishan Kishan and Abhishek as to who takes the strike because suddenly he has passed the baton of the zeroes to Ishan Kishan, someone who was in prime form. But this is a problem for India. There is definitely going to be a discussion about how they can overcome an off-spinner bowling to them because, keep in mind, when they take on the West Indies as well, Roston Chase is going to bowl in the powerplay to them. So they will want to come back with better plans. With the newer ball, when you hit the seam at times as a finger spinner, you can get that extra bounce, and that's the tricky part. If it's slightly slower in the air, like we saw there, and the ball hits the seam and deviates even a bit, that's enough in T20 cricket to get you out because it creates doubt and can earn you a wicket," Nayar said.
How will India qualify for the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal?
India's campaign in the T20 World Cup 2026 suffered a massive blow after South Africa ended their 12-match unbeaten run with a heavy 76-run win in Ahmedabad. The side will now have to win their remaining Super 8 matches with a huge margin to stay in the semifinal contention of the mega event. The Men in Blue will now face Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.