Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has suggested changes to the Suryakumar Yadav-led team’s XI ahead of their 2026 T20 World Cup match against Zimbabwe. The former all-rounder backed the inclusion of Axar Patel and Sanju Samson and said Samson could be the X-factor in a must-win match.
Team India will take on Zimbabwe in their second Super 8 match in Chennai on Thursday, February 26. After a heavy defeat to South Africa, India are under pressure and need a win to stay alive in the tournament. Middle-order batsman Rinku Singh has reportedly returned home due to a family emergency.
Can Sanju Samson be the X-Factor – Suresh Raina in India’s Playing XI
During a discussion on JioHotstar, Suresh Raina said that Sanju Samson could be an X-factor in the match against Zimbabwe. Raina suggested that Samson Tilak should replace Varma to counter India’s left-handers at the top of the order.
“You will have to bring in Axar Patel first. Will Tilak Varma play at number 3 or will Sanju Samson be added there? CSK got him this year. So it remains to be seen how he performs there.”
“The fans will definitely support him. I think you should bring Sanju in at number 3 because you already have two left-handers at the top. Suryakumar Yadav is batting well,” the former India all-rounder said.
“Rinku Singh is there in the order and if Axar comes in place of Washington Sundar, he will also play well. The hard-hitting Shivam Dube bats differently. However, can Sanju Samson be the
You have to win the two matches first – Suresh Raina
In the same conversation, Suresh Raina said the match between South Africa and West Indies would help India in their approach against Zimbabwe. Raina also stated that scoring around 200 runs would not be easy in Chennai so India would have to concentrate on batting.
“The one in Ahmedabad is very important because the match takes place in the afternoon. Then you know what to do in the evening. Around 200 runs will not be scored so easily in Chennai. You will have to bat well,” he said.
“As far as net run rate is concerned, you have to win the two matches first. If the last match takes place, that match will be in Calcutta, it is an even smaller ground, the toss will be extremely important as you would want to chase in fewer overs,” Raina noted.
Sanju Samson’s only appearance for India in T20 World Cup 2026
Sanju Samson played just one match in the tournament, scoring 22 runs off eight balls in the 93-run win over Namibia in Delhi on February 12. Meanwhile, Washington Sundar was chosen ahead of Axar Patel in the matches against Netherlands and South Africa.
India struggled in their first Super Eight match against South Africa, losing by 76 runs. Tilak Varma scored just one run from two balls in that match. Sundar bowled two overs for 17 runs without taking a wicket and scored 11 runs at a run-a-ball pace.
India can still qualify for the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup if they win the remaining two matches and South Africa beat the West Indies. However, if the West Indies beat South Africa, India could face a difficult situation as the country may have to make up a large net run rate gap to finish first.
Also Read: Shivam Dube Almost Suffers Serious Hand Injury Ahead Of IND-ZIM Clash (Watch Video)
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