Overview:
India struggled to recover after departure of Ishan Kishan, Tilak, and Abhishek. In the press-conference, Ryan discussed the possibility of adding Samson to the playing XI.
After India’s heavy loss to South Africa in the Super Eight opener, assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate pointed out that a right-hander like Sanju Samson could break the left-handed trend at the top of the order. Abhishek Sharma managed only 15 runs following a run of three ducks.
India’s left-handed batters, including Abhishek and Tilak Varma, were once again exposed to bowlers, resulting in a collapse. Despite Shivam Dube’s knock, India were bowled out for 111 while chasing 188. Abhishek has amassed 15 runs from four innings, while Tilak has scored 107 in five innings.
With Samson in the squad, there’s an option for a right-handed opener, though his recent form has been underwhelming, with just 290 runs in 17 innings since 2025. The question is whether to drop Tilak and include Samson.
India struggled to recover after departure of Ishan Kishan, Tilak, and Abhishek. In the press-conference, Ryan discussed the possibility of adding Samson to the playing XI.
“Yes, definitely. If you look at the five games we’ve played, four teams have opened with part-time off-spinners, and they have taken a wicket every time, except in the USA game where Abhi was dismissed by pacer Ali Khan. Starting every innings at zero for one, or just a couple of runs, is obviously putting pressure on the middle-order players. Tilak and SKY (Surya) are supposed to bridge the gap with the lower order, but it hasn’t gone as planned,” he said.
Ryan acknowledged the team’s lack of experience and emphasized India’s tough decision on whether to back the players who have delivered consistently over the past 18 months or to make room for Sanju’s inclusion.
“Is it better to stick with the players who’ve performed well over the last 18 months, even if they’re a few runs short at the moment? Or is it time to make a change and bring in Sanju, who is a talented player and brings the advantage of a right-hander? I’m sure this will be a major talking point as we approach the two crucial games against Zimbabwe and West Indies in the Super Eight stage,” he added.