3 Unique Batting Reshuffles India May Test Against Zimbabwe in Must-Win T20 World Cup Clash

India’s top‑order struggles have exposed a serious weakness against off‑spin. With Rinku Singh unavailable, selectors may consider Sanju Samson, reshuffling Ishan Kishan, or swapping Suryakumar Yadav. Here are three possible batting combinations.

Sanju Samson as opener with Abhishek Sharma

One straightforward option is to bring Sanju Samson directly into the opening slot alongside Abhishek Sharma. This restores the left‑hand‑right‑hand pairing that India have lacked. Samson’s inclusion adds a right‑handed presence to counter off‑spin, though his struggles against hard lengths and express pace remain a concern.

The recent New Zealand series highlighted his vulnerability, and Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani could exploit it. Still, Samson’s cameo against Namibia showed the spark India have missed.

Ishan Kishan retained at No.3, Samson in middle order

Another alternative is to keep the current opening pair intact and slot Samson at No.3. Ishan Kishan has already shown he can adapt to No.3, as seen in the home series against New Zealand.

This option spares Samson from facing the new ball and allows him to anchor or accelerate depending on the match situation. His experience at No.3 in both IPL and T20Is makes him a credible candidate. This reshuffle also avoids displacing Kishan, who has been India’s most consistent top‑order batter in the tournament.

Swap Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma

A third possibility is to retain the existing lineup but adjust roles. With Suryakumar Yadav in form and Tilak Varma struggling, swapping their batting positions could ease pressure on Varma while maximizing Yadav’s impact.

This flexible approach aligns with the captain’s philosophy of a dynamic batting order. It ensures India’s best batter faces more deliveries, while Varma gets a less demanding role lower down.