Anil Kumble, Faf du Plessis analyse India's biggest problem before must-win clash against West Indies
After India’s win over Zimbabwe, Faf du Plessis and Anil Kumble questioned the side’s role clarity and sixth bowling option. Shivam Dube’s expensive spells and frequent batting reshuffles remain concerns as India head into a crucial clash with West Indies.
India registered a comfortable 72-run win over Zimbabwe in Chennai to keep their T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final hopes alive. However, analysing the game, former cricketers Faf du Plessis and Anil Kumble believe there are still grey areas and concerning signs, particularly around role definition and the sixth bowling option.
Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel have largely done their job. The concern begins when the attack stretches beyond them. Shivam Dube has been used in that role most often, with Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh occasionally rolling their arm over. Dube has picked up five wickets, but conceding 124 runs in 9.2 overs at 13.28 an over tells its own story.
With that, Kumble feels India created these options over time, but translating that flexibility into control on flat surfaces is another matter.
“They certainly did all the right things to get the batters to bowl a bit through the previous World Cup to now. If you look at the last 18 months, where India played T20 cricket where they've won every single game, that Tilak Varma got to bowl, Abhishek Sharma got to bowl, Dube got to bowl. Then even Rinku Singh bowled, even Suryakumar Yadav bowled,” Kumble said on ESPNcricinfo's TimeOut show.
“So in that sense, you have options and that's great. But on a flat pitch, there will be challenges. India would ideally want the comfort of playing eight batters, rather than going in with seven batters and five specialist bowlers,” he added.
Du Plessis shares same opinion
Du Plessis, meanwhile, sees a tactical opening for opponents. He believes that India lack clinical approach and more often than not, Bumrah is the go-to option.
“100%. You look at it and ask: who are the danger bowlers? Most of the time, it's Bumrah. On the day, you make that call - if you can get on top of someone else early, then the sixth bowling option is going to have to come in. If that happens, and he [Dube] is bowling wide yorkers or defensive lines, you can line him up,” du Plessis said.
India have also shuffled the batting order in recent games as Axar was out for Washington Sundar against South Africa. Against Zimbabwe, Sanju Samson returned to opening, with Ishan Kishan moved to three. It resulted Dube moving to number seven.
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