India juggle options in final phase of T20WC preparations

With just over 50 days to go until the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, India are engaged in an important series against South Africa, gaining valuable experience ahead of the marquee event.

India have been experimenting with different bowling combinations, including deploying their bowlers in varied phases of the game. The team’s bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi described it as a tactical decision aimed at preparing the side better for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

“The kind of impact we want to create during this series, it's like we want to try out different combinations so that everybody is ready with a little bit of game time coming into the main event.” Salvi spoke in the lead-up to the third T20I.

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While fruitful from a long-term perspective, this tactic has seen India struggle in the powerplay, the side have managed just one wicket in the first six overs across the two games so far. Their troubles are further highlighted by the fact that South Africa have lost only six wickets across both matches, racing to a 2-0 lead in the series.

But Salvi was unperturbed by the scoreline, stressing on the need to look at the bigger picture.

“There are a lot of trials and combinations being tried out in terms of who will bowl in the power play, what are our options.”

“So, we are just creating an option bank for all of us and in that while, we are missing out on picking up those early wickets, I can understand. But if you see the larger picture, we are actually giving opportunities to all the bowlers to operate into that segment so that we don't rely only on a few bowlers coming into the main event. So, that's how we are looking at it.” said Salvi.

The former India international emphasised that competing against strong opposition is exactly what the team needs ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on June 12.

“See, coming into the series, we always thought that it will be a great series for us where we would be challenged by a stronger position and it's a good preparation for us for the upcoming World Cup. And obviously, we came charged up, we came prepared and we are fully motivated.”

South Africa have been one of the standout sides in recent years, reaching the finals of the last two editions of the T20 World Cup as well as the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025. However, Aavishkar Salvi was confident about India's ability to turn things around.

“Two games doesn't justify what sort of, you know, side we are. So there are another three games to go and girls are feeling comfortable, confident about their own abilities and I'm sure they are going to bounce back stronger.”