Former Indian opener Sadagoppan Ramesh criticized Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma after India’s Super 8 loss to South Africa, questioning their ability to handle World Cup pressure and highlighting the incomplete transition.
India’s shocking defeat to South Africa in their opening Super Eight clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 has sparked sharp criticism from former opener Sadagoppan Ramesh. He singled out Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma for their poor performances, questioning their readiness to handle the pressures of a global tournament.
The Men in Blue had dominated the group stage with four consecutive wins, but their batting collapsed in Ahmedabad, ending with a 76-run loss. Abhishek, who entered the tournament on the back of an impressive run, has failed to deliver. He registered three ducks in the group stage and managed only 15 off 12 balls against South Africa. Tilak, meanwhile, has struggled for fluency, scoring just 107 runs at an average of 21.40 and a strike rate below 119 in five innings.
On Instagram, Ramesh delivered a scathing assessment of the duo’s struggles. “Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma must understand one thing. Until now, they’ve seen only a garden, but a World Cup is a forest. Here, you will either hunt or get hunted. The pressure is completely different, and they must handle it better,” he remarked.
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Ramesh’s analogy underscored the gulf between bilateral cricket and the unforgiving nature of World Cup contests, where every mistake is magnified and opposition attacks are relentless.
Transition from Kohli and Rohit questioned
Ramesh also raised doubts about India’s transition following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from T20Is after the 2024 World Cup triumph. “Many said the transition has happened from Rohit and Virat following their retirements. But I always felt this World Cup would show if the transition had successfully happened. Try telling Virat and Rohit’s names to opponents even as they are not playing now, and those teams will sweat,” he said.
Kohli and Rohit remain the all-time leading run-scorers in T20 World Cup history, with 1,292 and 1,220 runs respectively. Their absence has left India searching for stability and match-winning consistency at the top of the order.
The defeat has left India in a precarious position in their title defense, with semifinal qualification now under threat. Their next clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai on February 26 is effectively a must-win encounter. The team management faces tough decisions over whether to persist with the struggling youngsters or make changes to restore balance.
