India heads into the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2026 with a perfect record after a hard-fought victory over the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium. While the 17-run win secured their fourth consecutive victory of the tournament, the team management is already looking toward the tactical refinements necessary for the business end of the competition. Following the game, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate provided a candid assessment of the journey ahead, emphasizing that the team’s ‘best, most complete performance is still to come’ as they prepare for a rematch of the 2024 final against South Africa this Sunday.
T20 World Cup 2026: Ryan ten Doeschate flags major obstacle for unbeaten India before South Africa Super 8 showdown
During the group stage, India faced more off-spin than any other team, often struggling to maintain a high scoring rate during the middle overs on sticky wickets. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate noted that while flat pitches allow batters to “hit through the line with more confidence,” the real test lies in adapting to surfaces where the ball holds.
“I think on better wickets, you won’t see it [batters struggling against spin]. You can hit through the line with more confidence. But the point is that we need to have plans where the wickets do hold and the [longer] boundaries are there. We need to be able to have a game plan to deal with that threat. I wouldn’t say [there are struggles against] offspin, I’d say fingerspin [on the whole].” Ten Doeschate was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Ten Doeschate pointed out that opponents are intentionally utilizing finger spinners to target India’s left-hand dominant top order, citing the recent clash in Colombo as a prime example:
“Colombo [against Pakistan] was a particularly difficult wicket… I think Pakistan bowled 14 [17] overs of fingerspin in the last game, and off the top of my head, I want to say [they got] something like 4 for 78 or something like that [5 for 125]. So it’s not great numbers [for India]. It’s been a trend in this World Cup… teams are getting a lot more clever now.” Ten Doeschate added.
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‘Teams are getting cleverer’: India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate admits
India’s unbeaten run to the Super 8s has been shadowed by a clear vulnerability against finger spin. This trend began against the USA, where spinners squeezed India for three middle-order wickets, and continued against Namibia as Gerhard Erasmus’ four-wicket haul nearly derailed a strong start. Rival captains have clearly identified India’s left-hand heavy top order as a tactical weakness to be exploited on holding surfaces.
The struggle reached a peak in Colombo, where Pakistan deployed 18 overs of spin on a sticky pitch to dismantle the top order, including the prized wickets of Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan. Most recently in Ahmedabad, the Netherlands’ Aryan Dutt used the new ball to remove both openers early, further highlighting the ‘squeeze’ India faces when they cannot hit through the line. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate admitted that “teams are getting cleverer,” using finger spin to stifle India’s power hitters on wickets that offer even a hint of grip.
“It’s been a trend in this World Cup. In IPL or bilateral series, the pace of the innings carries through from powerplay. Across all games, particularly across Sri Lanka [at this World Cup], you get off the books quickly, and batting becomes difficult through the middle phase, and teams are getting a lot more clever now,” Ten Doeschate concluded.
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