India’s bowling struggles vs South Africa highlight team combination concerns, says coach Aavishkar Salvi

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India’s preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup have hit a worrying phase, with Deepti Sharma enduring an unexpected dip in form during the ongoing T20I series against South Africa women’s national cricket team.

Widely regarded as one of the best allrounders in world cricket, Deepti was instrumental in India’s success last year. She finished as the leading wicket-taker in the ODI World Cup and delivered a match-winning performance in the final against South Africa, including a five-wicket haul and a crucial half-century. However, her performances in 2026 have been far from her usual standards.

In five T20Is this year, Deepti has managed just three runs across four innings and picked up only one wicket. Her struggles continued in the ongoing series, where she has yet to make a significant impact with the ball. In the first match, she was India’s least economical bowler, while in the second, she failed to take a wicket despite tighter control.

India’s bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi acknowledged her dip but backed her ability to bounce back strongly. He emphasized that temporary setbacks are part of a player’s journey and highlighted the effort Deepti is putting in behind the scenes. According to Salvi, she has been working extensively on her bowling, fitness, and game strategies in training sessions, and it is only a matter of time before she regains her rhythm.

Deepti’s struggles are part of a larger concern for India, as the bowling unit has failed to deliver in the first two matches of the series. South Africa successfully chased down targets of 158 and 148, losing just six wickets across both games, while India managed to claim only six wickets in total.

The team management has experimented with multiple bowling combinations, rotating players to build a strong bench ahead of the World Cup. Seamers like Renuka Singh and Kashvee Gautam were replaced in the second match by Kranti Gaud and Anuksha Sharma, but the changes did not yield immediate results.

Salvi explained that the team is focused on creating a versatile “option bank” rather than relying on a fixed bowling attack. While this approach may have impacted early breakthroughs, it is aimed at identifying the best combinations for different match situations in the long run.

Young pacer Kashvee Gautam remains one of the players to watch, despite a challenging start to her international career. Salvi described her as an exciting talent who is learning quickly and adapting through practice sessions and guidance from senior players.

As the series shifts to Johannesburg, conditions are expected to offer more pace and bounce, potentially aiding India’s seamers. However, concerns remain over India’s inability to finish innings strongly. In both matches, the team got off to solid starts but suffered dramatic collapses in the latter overs, losing wickets in clusters and failing to capitalize on strong platforms.

Despite the setbacks, the coaching staff remains confident that the team will address these issues. Salvi confirmed that the players have analyzed their mistakes and are focused on improving their execution in crucial phases of the game.

With South Africa leading the series 2-0, India faces a must-win situation in the upcoming match to stay alive in the contest. The performance in the next game will be crucial not only for the series outcome but also for shaping India’s confidence and team combination ahead of the T20 World Cup.