‘India haven’t been challenged yet’: Virender Sehwag fires Super 8 warning

Former India opener Virender Sehwag has voiced reservations about India’s bowling strength as the team prepares for the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the defending champions cruised through the group phase, winning all four matches to advance comfortably.

India dominated Group A, which featured rivals Pakistan national cricket team among others, but Sehwag believes sterner examinations lie ahead. With an unbeaten South Africa national cricket team awaiting them in their opening Super 8 clash on Sunday, he pointed out that India’s bowling attack has not yet been fully tested.

“I don’t think India have been challenged yet. In the first match, India struggled a bit, but since then they have been playing consistent cricket. The real test will begin in the Super 8s. Today, India scored 193, but they also conceded 176. So India will have to look at their bowling. When we come up against a better batting side, how will this bowling unit respond and be used?” Sehwag said during a discussion on Cricbuzz.

India’s most recent outing saw them overcome the Netherlands national cricket team by 17 runs in Ahmedabad, after posting 193/6 and allowing the Dutch to reach 176/7 in reply.

In the same conversation, former India pacer Mohit Sharma also weighed in on the debate surrounding India’s bowling composition, especially in the death overs.

“There is still doubt over which combination India will go with in the Super 8s. If you have an all-rounder like Axar Patel at No. 8, then who bowls at the death? If a team like the Netherlands can ask questions in the death overs, then bigger challenges are coming. If Arshdeep is there, you can be a little flexible since he can bowl alongside Bumrah at the death,” Mohit noted.

India’s Super 8 campaign begins against South Africa on February 22 in Ahmedabad. They will then travel to Chennai to face Zimbabwe before wrapping up the phase in Kolkata against the West Indies.