Bowling shake-up vs Pakistan? Sunil Gavaskar hints at big India change for T20 World Cup showdown

NEW DELHI: Former captain Sunil Gavaskar believes a tactical shake-up could be on the cards ahead of India’s high-voltage T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan, hinting that wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav may replace left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh in the playing XI.

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Despite a comfortable 93-run victory over Namibia, Arshdeep endured a tough outing and did not complete his full quota of overs — a detail Gavaskar felt was significant. Speaking on Star Sports’ Cricket Live, he said that the bowling rotation suggested a spin-heavy plan for the big game in Colombo.




“All our bowlers picked up wickets. Arshdeep did not complete his four overs, while Hardik Pandya finished his quota. This hints that Kuldeep Yadav could replace Arshdeep against Pakistan,” Gavaskar observed, adding that Sri Lankan pitches traditionally assist slower bowlers and India have often fielded three spinners in such conditions.

The veteran also praised how skipper Suryakumar Yadav managed his resources with the marquee contest in mind. According to Gavaskar, opening the bowling with Hardik and limiting Varun Chakaravarthy to two overs indicated a clear long-term strategy. “Varun gets wickets whenever he is asked to bowl, and Axar Patel picking up two wickets is a very good sign,” he said.


Gavaskar also turned his attention to the batting unit, particularly Sanju Samson, who replaced an unwell Abhishek Sharma and smashed an entertaining 22 off eight balls before falling. The former opener pointed out a technical flaw, noting that Samson’s deep movement inside the crease makes him vulnerable early on.

“He goes too deep and plays that flick shot. He needs to spend more time at the crease, especially if he opens against the new ball,” Gavaskar explained, while acknowledging that Namibia’s clever field placements played a role in the dismissal.


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