"There Can Be Changes": Sanju Samson To Play? Team India Hints At Massive Tweak For Zimbabwe Clash

For the first time in 24 years across formats - and for the first-time ever in T20Is - Zimbabwe are touring India. Few would have predicted this to be a T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 fixture with knockout overtones. It could easily have been India versus Australia. Instead, it's Zimbabwe, the tournament's giant-killers, standing in India's path in Chennai. After the bruising defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad, India arrive at the MA Chidambaram Stadium with little margin for error. One more slip, and the campaign could unravel. And so, the conversations have begun. 

The Left-Hand Question - And Samson

Three early wickets in recent games. Two left-handed openers. A left-hander at No. 3 - a concern for Team India? Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak acknowledged the chatter without revealing much. The team, he said, discusses combinations constantly. The presence of multiple left-handers at the top and how opposition bowling options line up against that is part of the thinking. 

“There can be changes, yes. We are discussing everything because we have two left-handers as openers and a left-hander at number three, and the opposition also has an off-spinner," Kotak said.

"Since we lost wickets in the first over in the last three games, any team would think about changes. We never decide the team too early, and it's not fair to reveal plans in advance, but yes, there are definitely thoughts about it," he added.

But he was also quick to caution against reading too much into it. India have lost early wickets, yes. But in the last two and a half years, their batting line-up has rarely failed to cross 150. "I would rather look at positives," Kotak suggested, reinforcing that perspective matters.

Still, when teams lose three games with early damage, selection becomes a live wire. That's where Sanju Samson enters the frame. 

Samson, effectively the third opener and reserve wicket-keeper in this squad, would ordinarily slot in if there's room. Kotak was clear: there will "definitely" be thoughts about playing him. But nets are no giveaway. Samson bats regardless; sometimes he steps away for drills. 

Training sessions, Kotak stressed, are not selection signals. Yet the subtext is unmistakable - India are considering a tweak at the top.

The Start That Never Came 

Kotak circled back to one point repeatedly: opening starts. India haven't had them. A powerplay that sets the tone changes everything - field placements, tempo, dressing-room mood. "Once you get an opening start, it'll be a different environment," he said. It wasn't defensive; it was matter-of-fact. 

In T20 cricket, perception shifts quickly. A 60-run opening stand can mask structural doubts. Three wickets inside two overs amplifies them. Chennai, with its traditionally slower surface, may demand clarity more than flair. Zimbabwe have already shown they can disrupt more fancied sides. They won't be intimidated by reputation. 

Balance Over Reaction

The temptation after defeat is to react. Shuffle the order. Break a left-hand pairing. Inject a right-hander for match-up symmetry. But tournament cricket rewards steadiness. India must weigh whether the issue is structural or circumstantial. 

Is the left-heavy top order genuinely vulnerable, or has it simply endured a rough patch? Does Samson's inclusion solve a tactical problem, or does it create another imbalance elsewhere? Thursday in Chennai will be less about reputation and more about execution.

Zimbabwe have earned their place here. India, for all their depth, must earn their continuation.The combination they field will say a lot - not just about tactics, but about temperament.

Topics mentioned in this article

Sanju Samson India Cricket Team T20 World Cup 2026 Sitanshu Kotak Cricket