India all-rounder Washington Sundar joined the squad late in the T20 World Cup 2026 after suffering a side strain during IND vs NZ ODI series earlier this year, which forced him to the sidelines. However, he joined the team ahead of India’s second group-stage clash against Namibia and has so far featured in only one game – during the final group match against the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands games, Sundar replaced Axar Patel in the India Playing XI. Sundar although did not get to bat, he did not have the best of his outings with the ball either, leaking 36 runs from his four overs at an expensive economy of 9.0 and returned wicketless.
Now, as India gears up to kickstart the Super 8 stage with a high-octane clash against the Proteas on Sunday (February 22), question remains if Sundar will maintain his spot in the lineup.
Echoing on the same lines, India bowling coach Morne Morkel revealed that there is a strong chance of Sundar featuring in the match. Speaking to the media in a press conference, Morkel said,
“It’s the perfect opportunity for Washington to play (against SA). He gives us a lot of options.”
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Given that the game is in Ahmedabad, Washington can be an asset as he has umpteen experience playing at the venue in the shortest format for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). One option is to replace him with Axar, like India did in the match against the Netherlands.
Nevertheless, Axar himself is an integral cog in the lineup and also familiar with the ground, having played domestic cricket there. Furthermore, he offers batting flexibility and has looked consistent with the ball, picking up two wickets in all three games he has played so far in the tournament.
If India wants both Washi and Axar, Rinku Singh can be sacrificed, given his limited scope to contribute. In such a case, India will not have to compromise their batting depth while adding an extra bowling option.
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