T20 World Cup 2026: ‘It’s the worst game we’ve played in two years’ – Sitanshu Kotak backs India to bounce back

Indian batting coach Sitanshu Kotak admitted that the loss to South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026 was one of India’s worst performances in the past couple of years. The Men in Blue were outplayed in all departments in Ahmedabad, bringing their unbeaten run in the tournament to an end.

The Proteas posted a competitive total of 187 after recovering from early setbacks, capitalising on some ineffective bowling from the hosts. In response, India delivered a disappointing batting display and were bundled out for just 111 runs in a shocking collapse.

The defeat has complicated India’s path to the semi-finals. They must now win their remaining two matches and rely on other results going in their favour. However, Kotak maintained that there is no major concern within the team management despite the setback.

“During the bilaterals, the batting was clicking. Last game the batting was concerning. I’m not looking at individual failures. We should take the last game in stride, it’s the worst game we’ve played in two years. Openers haven’t clicked either. It’s fine, I wouldn’t stress too much on it. Not really that concerned,” said Kotak during the pre-match press conference to RevSportz.

India have struggled to adapt to the surfaces, as they have been unable to play their usual free-flowing brand of cricket from the outset. On the black-soil wickets, the ball has not come onto the bat as well as expected, making stroke play difficult.

However, the coach disagreed with the criticism, asserting that such conditions are not a kryptonite for the team. He emphasised that only minor adjustments are required and expressed confidence that the players can adapt quickly.

“I don’t think we struggle on black soil. If pitches become slow in T20, batting becomes a struggle. If there’s a collapse, we can’t blame the surface. We have done reasonably well, there isn’t much concern. If you lose a couple of wickets, you have to wait and see how the ball is moving. It’s more about when and how to adapt to the conditions rather than thinking negatively from ball one,” said Kotak.

Kotak highlighted the importance of handling pressure situations and expressed confidence in the team’s ability to respond strongly in the upcoming matches following the recent setback. He emphasised that managing crucial moments effectively will be key to bouncing back in the tournament.

India will next face Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on February 26, in what promises to be a must-win encounter for the Men in Blue.

“When you go to bed there’s pressure. There’s always anxiety but you learn to deal with it. For a professional it is a part of their life and has to be dealt with positively. If we want to win the World Cup we have to handle the pressure, there’s nothing this team can’t handle,” said Kotak.