“Shed the Ego, Adapt to Conditions”: Sunil Gavaskar Rips Into India After T20 Defeat

India’s thumping 76-run defeat to the South Africa national cricket team in Ahmedabad has sparked sharp reactions from former players, commentators, and cricket experts, with batting legend Sunil Gavaskar leading the criticism. He said India needed to take a cue from South Africa’s innings, shed their ego, and adapt to the conditions rather than walking out with overconfidence and throwing their bats at everything.

Gavaskar praised the composed 97-run partnership between David Miller and Dewald Brevis , which took South Africa to 187/7 . “Having seen how Brevis and Miller built their partnership, that was the approach needed from the Indian batters,” he said. “The Indian batters did not do that. They came out with overconfidence, threw their bat at everything and lost wickets. South Africa clearly outsmarted India and it was a well-deserved win for them.”

India’s top order crumbled inside the powerplay, with Ishan Kishan dismissed for a duck, Abhishek Sharma scoring 15, and Tilak Varma managing only 1 run, leaving India struggling at 26/3. Gavaskar, joined by other commentators on broadcast panels, criticised the reckless approach: “You don’t always need to score 70 runs in the Powerplay. Even 55–60 would have been a good platform. But India’s batters threw their wickets away. Tilak Varma could have anchored the innings while others fell cheaply, but he failed to do so.”

The defeat also raised questions about India’s team balance and tactical decisions. Gavaskar suggested recalling Axar Patel for the next match, citing his all-round ability and left-arm spin as a key asset. He acknowledged that Arshdeep Singh bowled well against South Africa and might be retained. Meanwhile, Washington Sundar was flagged as underutilised — bowling just two overs against South Africa and having limited impact with the bat, leading Gavaskar to conclude that he may make way for Patel.

Experts also noted India’s failure to learn from the opposition. Gavaskar emphasised that modern T20 cricket rewards observation, patience, and adaptability. “If the opposition scores well on a tricky surface, you have to get rid of your ego, observe, and adjust,” he said. His assessment was echoed by commentators and former players analysing India’s top-order collapses, highlighting the team’s overconfidence, poor shot selection, and lack of partnerships.

With India now preparing to face Zimbabwe national cricket team , the match serves as a wake-up call. Gavaskar and analysts agree that reputation alone will not carry India through the tournament; success will depend on composure, smart tactics, and the ability to adapt quickly to conditions if the defending champions are to remain serious title contenders