Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of the Indian cricket team, faced backlash from fans following Washington Sundar’s underwhelming performance against South Africa in the T20 World Cup Super 8 match. The match took place on February 22, 2026, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Criticism Over Sundar’s Selection Against South Africa
In a crucial encounter, Sundar was retained in the playing XI while vice-captain Axar Patel remained on the sidelines. This decision did not yield the desired results; Sundar bowled just two overs and gave away 17 runs without taking a wicket. He could only manage to score 11 runs off 11 balls while batting at number five.
Strategic Decisions Explained
Before the match, Suryakumar Yadav explained Sundar’s selection as a tactical decision. “It’s very harsh on Axar Patel, but we’re going with the same team—just a tactical decision,” he stated at the toss.
The rationale behind this choice stemmed from the South African batting lineup, which featured three left-handed players in their top five. Sundar, a right-arm off-spinner, was expected to be more effective against them than the left-arm spinner, Axar Patel.
Match Performance Overview
- Overs Bowled: 2
- Runs Conceded: 17
- Wickets Taken: 0
- Runs Scored: 11 off 11 balls
Sundar was introduced into the attack in the seventh over but immediately conceded 11 runs to batters Dewald Brevis and David Miller. Following this, he was replaced by Varun Chakravarthy, who also struggled, allowing 17 runs in his over. Despite the leaks from both ends, Sundar wasn’t brought back into the attack until the 14th over, where he conceded just six runs.
Fan Reactions
The strategy to include Sundar and bench Patel backfired, leading to widespread criticism of Gambhir and the team management. Fans expressed their disappointment over the ineffective use of Sundar’s skills in a vital match.
The team’s approach raises questions about tactical decisions in the ongoing T20 World Cup, where every match counts significantly.
