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As the T20 World Cup 2026 reaches the final stretch of its opening round, all eyes are on the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. On Wednesday, the undefeated Men in Blue will face the Netherlands in Match 36 of Group A. Having already secured their spot in the Super 8s with a clinical 61-run demolition of Pakistan in Colombo, India enter this contest looking to maintain their perfect record. Meanwhile, the Netherlands, led by Scott Edwards, find themselves in a desperate must-win scenario to keep their slim mathematical hopes alive.
Piyush Chawla picks India’s probable XI against Netherlands
Former Indian spinner and World Cup winner Piyush Chawla, speaking on JioHotstar, has shared his insights into India’s potential lineup for this Ahmedabad showdown. Chawla emphasized a “horses for courses” strategy, suggesting that the team management should prioritize seam over spin given the specific conditions of the Gujarat venue.
He noted that while Kuldeep Yadav played a pivotal role on the turning tracks of Colombo, the Ahmedabad surface traditionally offers more bounce and pace, favoring a more robust fast-bowling attack.
“When you went to Premadasa, you had to leave out a fast bowler because it was the demand of the time. But here, we have seen that the pitches are good and there isn’t much help for spinners,” Chawla explained. He expects Arshdeep Singh to return to the XI, replacing Kuldeep Yadav as the only major change.
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Chawla advocates for stability in India’s line-up for South Africa Super 8 clash in T20 World Cup 2026
Beyond the immediate challenge of the Netherlands, Chawla also weighed in on India’s high-stakes Super 8 opener against South Africa, scheduled for February 22. In a bold stance, he advocated for fielding the exact same XI in both matches to build rhythm and confidence. Chawla believes that unless a forced change due to injury occurs, India have finally found their Best XI.
According to the veteran leg-spinner, the current squad covers every base required for modern T20 cricket. With Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma providing explosive starts, a middle order anchored by Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma, and the finishing prowess of Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya, the batting looks formidable. On the bowling front, the combination of Jasprit Bumrah’s lethal yorkers and Varun Chakaravarthy’s mystery spin provides the necessary balance.
Chawla also predicted that if Suryakumar wins the toss in Ahmedabad, he would likely opt to field first. This tactic is driven by the potential for dew in the latter half of the evening, which would make chasing a much more comfortable prospect for a side that has looked invincible in recent weeks.
Piyush Chawla’s predicted India XI for Netherlands clash: Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.
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