Ahead of India's T20 World Cup 2026 fixture against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, former pacer Zaheer Khan shared his insights on the team's latest lineup adjustments. For the February 12 clash, the Indian management opted for two significant changes: Sanju Samson replaced Abhishek Sharma in the batting order, while the returning Jasprit Bumrah took over for Mohammed Siraj in the bowling department.
Zaheer Khan breaks down critical issue that may hurt India in T20 World Cup
The exclusion of Abhishek Sharma was a forced move, as the young opener continues to struggle with a stomach illness. Zaheer noted that while some changes are strategic, these types of unplanned disruptions can be a source of concern for the squad. He emphasised that in a high-stakes tournament, teams typically strive for a settled combination to build rhythm, and losing a key player to illness can momentarily break that competitive momentum
"The way India was planning for the World Cup, Siraj was not in the plans anyway. He got to play and performed also, that is a positive thing. Looking at India's campaign, this is the only cause of concern. You need momentum in a World Cup, there is one combination and that can only be strong when there are not many changes. So somewhere, these forced changes could make it slightly difficult to get the rhythm," Zaheer said on Cricbuzz.
If you think ahead, I don't think that is the preparation: Mohit Sharma
Mohit Sharma also underscored the importance of a disciplined mindset, urging the Indian squad to focus strictly on taking the tournament one game at a time. He advised the players to remain fully present for the current encounter against Namibia, rather than letting their thoughts drift toward the high-stakes clash with Pakistan.
"You can't think about the next game and play the current game that way. Do not think a lot. There is time in between for the next game, so you can prepare then. If you think ahead, I don't think that is the preparation," Mohit said.
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Mohit suggested that the team's early challenges in the tournament served as a timely and necessary wake-up call. He pointed out that being forced to defend a modest total of 160, rather than relying on a massive 200-plus cushion, was actually beneficial for the bowling unit. This experience allowed the bowlers to build confidence and refine their ability to execute under intense pressure.
This resilience was particularly evident during the clash against the USA, where the Indian batting lineup collapsed to a precarious 77/6. Despite the crisis, Suryakumar Yadav delivered a captain's knock, anchoring the innings and navigating the side to a competitive final score of 161/9. Mohit noted that these gritty, hard-fought victories often do more for a team's growth than one-sided wins.
"You cannot take anyone lightly in an ICC tournament. So yes, it was necessary (wake-up call for India). We are practising to have a batter at number eight always, and you got that in the first game itself. So from there Surya got into form, that is one thing. The other thing is, bowlers always get 200 to defend. We have forgotten somewhere to defend 140-160. So that happened as well early on," Mohit added.