Net run rate pressure, team selection dilemma- Samson or Tilak?:3 concerns for India in do-or-die match vs Zimbabwe

India are set to lock horns against Zimbabwe in a must-win contest in the T20 World Cup 2026 on 26 February in Chennai. Not very long ago, there were talks of India becoming the first team to defend their T20 World Cup title. And after the stinging 76-run loss to South Africa in their first Super 8 encounter, anything apart from a win would spell the end of their campaign, which would be nothing but a massive setback for the No. 1 ranked T20I side. However, a number of talking points have emerged before India’s must-win clash against Zimbabwe. Team selection dilemma India face not just one but multiple selection dilemmas before the match against Zimbabwe. Will Sanju Samson replace an out-of-form Tilak Varma? Also, will Axar Patel return in place of Washington Sundar? India fielded an unchanged playing XI from their group-stage win over the Netherlands and the defeat raised a lot of questions on team selection. Firstly, there was a lot of debate on Washington Sundar being preferred ahead of vice-captain Axar Patel. While India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate explained that Washington got the nod because the team expected a threat from South Africa’s left-handers. Also, that Washington bowls in the powerplay was another reason. But interestingly, Washington was not used in the powerplay. Former cricketer Ravi Ashwin was one of those who was left baffled by Axar’s non-selection. So will Axar be picked in place of Washington? Not just Axar, but there have been talks of Sanju Samson’s inclusion in the playing XI as well. Ten Doeschate had hinted at Samson’s return, saying that the wicketkeeper-batter is going to be part of discussions going forward. Inducting Samson back into the playing XI in place of Tilak, who has been out of form, will help break the flow of left-handers in the top order. As a result, teams that would have attacked with off-spin upfront might consider an alternative move. Also, Axar Patel’s return will not just add more quality but also experience, which is needed in these remaining crucial Super 8 fixtures. Also, in a latest development, Rinku Singh’s availability for the Zimbabwe match is in doubt after the batter had to rush home due to a family emergency. It would be interesting to see who replaces Rinku should he miss the match. Net Run Rate pressure With the defeat to South Africa, not only did India fail to open their points account, but they also suffered a massive setback in terms of Net Run Rate (NRR). The 76-run loss dealt a big blow to India, with the Men in Blue currently having a NRR of -3.800. What this does is that India will now not only need to win both their remaining matches but also try to improve their NRR. Hence, the equation has gotten complicated for the Men in Blue. To make matters worse, the West Indies’ 107-run win has put further pressure on the Men in Blue. In a scenario where three teams are locked on four points, India will hope to have an improved NRR than the other two teams, which would guarantee semi-final qualification. India, at this stage, would not only look to win both their remaining matches but also hope that South Africa do the same and top the group. Only in this scenario can India go through to the semis without worrying about the NRR. India’s middle-order crisis and off-spin struggle India’s batting has failed to live upto its potential, big time. Before the tournament started, it was tipped that India, with the kind of power-packed batting line-up that they have, would register some very high scores, as was seen in the bilaterals leading up to the competition. But instead, batting has become one of India’s major concerns. In all five matches so far, India have failed to have a stable opening partnership. To top it off, there have not been any significant partnerships in the middle order. In the India vs South Africa match, both teams had lost three wickets each inside the powerplay but the difference turned out to be the middle overs. South Africa had David Miller and Dewald Brevis stitch a 97-run partnership while it was a collapse for India. One of the consistent worries for Team India in this T20 World Cup has been batting against off-spin. With six left-handers in the top eight, it has become almost inevitable that off-spin is the key to putting India’s batting in check. Against the Proteas, captain Aiden Markram struck in the first over, removing an in-form Ishan Kishan and later, Keshav Maharaj picked up three wickets in one over, with his victims being Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh and Arshdeep Singh. India cannot afford to make any mistakes and be as clinical as possible against Zimbabwe. This would just be the second meeting between these teams in T20 World Cup, with India winning the previous encounter, in 2022, comfortably.