Former India head coach Ravi Shastri held nothing back after India’s 76-run defeat to the South Africa national cricket team in the Super Eight match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Shastri admitted the result was a wake-up call but argued that an early loss can sometimes galvanise a side and force necessary reflection.

He urged calm heads in selection meetings, asking management to favour balance and flexibility over panic tinkering. “This is not the time to chop and change every position; clarity of role is more important than rearranging the furniture,” Ravi Shastri said, calling for clear batting roles and a backup bowling plan that can be adjusted to conditions.

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He argued that selection and balance must now guide India’s response. “Bring Axar back and consider playing both spinners,” Shastri said, referring to the decision to leave out Axar Patel for the Proteas game. He suggested the team could afford a deeper batting line-up while retaining bowling options, and added that slotting Axar in would strengthen the lower middle order.

Shastri’s other tactical suggestion focused on rotation and backups. He urged management to keep faith with attacking bowlers but warned against over-reliance on a single specialist when conditions demand variety. He noted that Varun Chakravarthy was less effective on the day and that having an experienced second spinner could have absorbed the pressure.

On batting structure, Ravi Shastri backed using Hardik Pandya in a flexible role rather than a fixed lower-order slot. “You need someone who can finish, anchor or rebuild depending on the situation,” he said about Hardik Pandya, adding that Shivam Dube’s power-hitting could act as a bridge in the late overs.

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He acknowledged the tough decisions ahead, noting one likely casualty could be Rinku Singh if the side opts for an extra bowling option. “If eight batters can’t get the job done in T20 cricket, then something’s wrong, especially with that kind of firepower,” Shastri warned, mentioning Rinku Singh by name.

Shastri said net run rate matters; convincing wins will restore belief. He asked support staff to run scenarios, ready contingency XIs and communicate roles clearly so players can execute without second-guessing. With a must-win against Zimbabwe national cricket team looming, Shastri urged calm and focus.