T20 World Cup: Sanju Samson likely to replace Abhishek Sharma in must-win clash against Zimbabwe

Dubai: As India gear up for a crucial Super Eights clash against Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup on Thursday, speculation is mounting over whether Sanju Samson will come in for the struggling Abhishek Sharma.

Abhishek’s lean run — including three successive ducks — has hurt India’s campaign, which began with a 76-run loss to South Africa in the Super Eights.

Speaking ahead of the match, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak acknowledged that changes are being considered but stopped short of confirming any decisions.

“Yes, there can be changes. We do discuss these things. We have two left-handed openers and a left-hander at number three, and opposition teams are using off-spinners. I personally don’t think there is an issue there. But when you lose wickets in the first over in three games, any team will think about it,” Kotak said.

“Obviously, we are thinking. Let’s see how it goes. We never decide the team early, and it’s not fair to reveal plans in advance. But there will definitely be discussions,” he added.

Must win situation

India now face a clear equation — win their remaining two matches to keep semi-final qualification in their own hands or risk relying on other results.

Kotak urged against singling out Abhishek despite his struggles.

“Abhishek has been out for a duck three times. His health was a concern earlier, and after that he hasn’t found momentum. In the last game, he looked good. I don’t like overthinking about one individual. We are playing with six batters and two all-rounders, so we can’t focus too much on one player,” he said.

Zimbabwe, captained by Sikandar Raza, have been one of the surprise teams of the tournament, beating Australia and co-hosts Sri Lanka to reach the Super Eights. The West Indies lead Group 1 after defeating Zimbabwe, with South Africa second. Both India and Zimbabwe head into Thursday’s encounter needing a win.

“For us, every match is a must-win from here,” Kotak said. “If you want to win the World Cup, you have to be ready to beat every side you face.”

Meanwhile, middle-order batter Rinku Singh left the squad to attend to his unwell father and missed training ahead of the match. However, Kotak confirmed that Rinku is expected to rejoin the team on Wednesday evening.