The Indian national cricket team may make some changes in the do-or-die Super 8 match against West Indies in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Big changes in the bowling attack are now under serious discussion, with Varun Chakravarthy likely to make way for Kuldeep Yadav.

Big selection ahead of India vs West Indies showdown

After some mixed performances from the bowling unit, many cricket experts felt that the defending champions needed a genuine wicket-taker in the middle order, calling for Kuldeep to be included in the playing squad. The left-arm wrist spinner has the ability to turn the ball sharply and cause problems for aggressive batsmen, especially on slower surfaces.

Also read: AB de Villiers claims ‘external influence’, says India is ‘extremely nervous’ facing West Indies

Your daily dose of cricket!

Ahead of the Super 8 match between India and West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday (March 1), former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar suggested that India should include Kuldeep Yadav in the squad, especially amid concerns that the batting total will not be high.

Commentators feel that a quality spinner who can pick wickets can make up for the lack of runs on the board. West Indies batsmen are known for hitting big shots, but they often struggle with the high-quality spin that makes the ball turn sharply.

Sanjay Manjrekar supports Kuldeep Yadav against Varun Chakravarthy in West Indies match

Manjrekar feels that Kuldeep Yadav’s changes and control may make it difficult for them to attack freely. His ability to break partnerships at crucial moments could give India an edge in the Super Eight clash.

Varun Chakravarthy, on the other hand, has performed well in recent games but has not been completely dominant in recent games. The team management may consider using Kuldeep Yadav to develop the ground at Eden Gardens.

Sanjay Manjrekar posted, “

To make up for the lack of runs from the batsmen, I really think India should play Kuldeep tonight. It’s never easy to follow a turning pitcher, especially with so many Wisconsin batsmen.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) March 1, 2026

Varun Chakravarthy performed well in the early years but struggled in the Super 8 stage

Meanwhile, Varun Chakravarthy is currently among the top five wicket-takers in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, having taken 11 wickets in 6 matches. The world’s number one T20I bowler started the match in strong style and bowled tight balls.

In the group stage, he maintained an impressive economy rate of 5.16 and controlled the midfield well. But in the Super 8 stage, the situation changed. After costly matches against South Africa and Zimbabwe, Wallen’s economy-rate in the Super 8 league rose to 10.25.

Kuldeep Yadav remains on the bench despite impressive performance against Pakistan

Kuldeep Yadav, on the other hand, has played just one match for India so far in the 2026 T20 World Cup. The team management has mostly opted for the extra batting option rather than using another specialist spinner. The Chinese bowler played in the big group match against Pakistan.

In that match, Kuldeep took 1 wicket and conceded only 14 runs in 3 overs. His nerve-wracking form helped India win the match comfortably by 61 runs in Colombo.

Even after his stellar performance, Kuldeep was still not included in the playing squad as the defending champions preferred all-rounders like Axar Patel and Washington Sundar to add more power to the lower-order batting.