India vs South Africa T20I: Coaches’ Corner Before the Super 8 Clash

Ahmedabad’s staged some massive games, but this one feels different: both India and South Africa have come through their earlier matches without losing, and it seems as if each team is still keeping something up its sleeve.

The Super 8 contest at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, begins at 7pm on February 22nd, 2026; it’s a repeat of a game from 2024, although no one wants the past to dominate.

India’s coaches have been quite clear about the two things that can change a close T20: how you deal with spin bowlers using their fingers in the middle of the innings, and if your team can turn difficult catches into wickets.

South Africa’s messages are less direct, almost cool, but the meaning is still very clear: well-defined jobs for the openers, composed heads later on, and putting the pressure back on India’s decision-makers.

So, exactly what did Morne Morkel and the rest of the coaching team discuss before this India versus South Africa T20 International?

In Depth

Morne Morkel’s Two-Point Plan: Spin Bowling and Catching

Morkel wasn’t complicated. He’s watched India’s batting line-ups play on slow pitches, and he’s noticed when an innings loses its pace because the ball isn’t coming on to the bat.

His view is simple: India can make up ground at the end if they get a good start, but they can’t go on giving away easy middle overs by making poor choices and trying to rush things. He uses the word “platform” a lot, because that’s the difference between getting to around 165 – a decent score – and 195, which would probably win the match in Ahmedabad.

The second part of what he said was even more to the point: catching is what will separate the teams when the tournament gets really tough. India have made opportunities during the group games, but the ones they’ve let go aren’t forgotten; they come back to haunt you as bigger chases, more overs for Bumrah, and a smaller chance of error at the very end.

From a bowling coach’s angle, it’s not just the missed catch itself. It’s what a dropped catch costs you: an over of pressure, a new batsman at the crease, and the chance for the batsman who’s already set to attack your best bowler. When you’re up against a side like South Africa, that can be very damaging.

Ryan ten Doeschate: “Teams Are Becoming More Astute” With Finger Spin

Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has put the issue in tactical terms, rather than as a “form” problem. He says that teams are actively planning around India’s top order – which has a lot of left-handed batsmen – and then using spin bowlers who turn the ball with their fingers when the pitch is holding and the boundaries seem further away.

That’s not unexpected. India’s attacking play at the start of the innings makes captains want to protect the straight boundary, and as soon as the ball begins to grip, off-spinners and left-arm orthodox bowlers become ways to control the game instead of being defensive. If you can bowl six to eight overs of finger spin at a speed which stops batsmen hitting the ball for easy runs, the innings begins to need risk.

Ten Doeschate’s answer isn’t “hit more sixes”. It’s about having pre-planned ways of scoring which don’t depend on the pitch being flat: getting deeper into your stance to get the ball away for length, using the sweep and hard laps more, and rotating the strike more cleverly so the spinner can’t settle into a comfortable pattern.

This also affects team selection. If India expect a lot of finger spin, they might choose a batsman who can get 12 runs from an over without needing a boundary, and an all-rounder who can bowl with a wet ball if dew appears.

Suryakumar Yadav: Ground Familiarity

India’s captain has been trying to play down the idea that South Africa have an advantage because they’ve played at the ground before. He’s said that both sides have enough players who know Ahmedabad well, and that knowing the ground doesn’t give you a start of 20 for none.

This is important because South Africa’s time at Narendra Modi Stadium during the group stage has given them a few clues: how the ball moves under the lights, which square boundary is shorter, and how the outfield becomes slippery when dew builds up. India’s response is that their main players have been familiar with these details for years through the IPL and international matches.

In this India versus South Africa T20 International, the captain’s job is also to make sure the dressing room is concentrating on the things they can control. Talk too much about how well you know the pitch, and you’ll end up playing the ground instead of the bowler.

Team Selection: Axar or Washington

Ravi Shastri has pointed out the team selection question which keeps coming up: Axar Patel, or Washington Sundar?

This isn’t about who is “better”. It’s about what problem India want to solve in this particular match.

If there’s a lot of dew, captains often prefer the bowler with the cleanest action and the simplest length, because a wet ball punishes fancy variations. That’s when the decision becomes less about what you’d like, and more about what’s sensible. South Africa’s public behaviour has been about staying composed instead of dwelling on past results. Quinton de Kock has sounded almost uninterested when the 2024 final is brought up, and doesn’t feel the need to revisit it.

This could be genuine, or a way to protect themselves – but it shows they don’t want to allow India to think South Africa are again feeling the strain. They’re aiming for a straightforward contest: the plans for this game, this pitch, and how they carry them out. There’s also a good deal of certainty in the team structure, with Aiden Markram opening giving South Africa more stability, and de Kock liking having a clearly defined opening job rather than being asked to change what he does all the time. In T20, having roles sorted can stop things from falling apart if the first couple of overs don’t go well.

The Morkel Brothers Angle

The interesting thing is Morne Morkel being with India, and Albie Morkel helping South Africa as a consultant. Albie has said his job is, in essence, to work out how to defeat India, and that any family teasing can be put off until the game is over.

But behind the joking, is a real point about cricket: both of the brothers understand what bowlers are trying to do. They will be considering the same things – where India’s left-handed players start their swings, which batsmen are slow to deal with a quick, short ball, and what pace off the ball will look like on the pitch.

This means India’s bowlers might come up against a strategy which has been practised with someone who knows what India’s players can do. It also means India’s coaches will be especially keen to be difficult to read in the first six overs.

Ahmedabad Weather and Dew

The forecast for Ahmedabad has been for clear skies all evening, and the temperature is expected to fall from late afternoon to the mid-20s once the floodlights are on. This usually means captains face the one choice they dislike: do they bat first and risk a slippery ball later, or do they chase and risk being a bit short of a winning total?

The Narendra Modi Stadium plays in different ways. The early overs can be flat, then the ball will grip a little when spin bowlers slow the pace, and later the outfield will become quicker as dew appears. That’s why the two coaching teams are talking about “plans” and not just who will be playing.

The staff’s attention also shows why Shastri keeps talking about “options”. If there’s dew when chasing, having a sixth bowler isn’t a bonus, it’s essential.

Key Match-Ups That May Decide

India’s middle overs, and South Africa’s control of spin

If South Africa can bowl finger spin into the pitch and defend the straight boundary, India will have to score without taking too many risks. That’s where Tilak Varma’s skills are useful: soft hands, quick singles, and being able to hit gaps without trying to swing too hard.

Bumrah and the short, quick ball

South Africa’s big hitters enjoy pace. Bumrah’s best overs often take that away, with a short ball at the body and the option of a late yorker when the batsman moves back. If he does well for two overs in the middle of the innings, India can control the end of the innings.

Rabada and Nortje against India’s start

If India lose two early wickets again, the idea of a good “platform” for the innings will be tested. South Africa’s fast bowlers can hit the base of the bat and force mistakes into the large spaces on the off side. India’s coaches want their players to cope with this spell without letting the scoring rate fall.

How Each Team Thinks It’s Won

Looking at it Practically: How Each Coaching Team Thinks The Game Will Be Won

India’s coaches are suggesting a plan: get through the spin, catch well, and trust the bowlers to defend a total even if the batsmen don’t play well.

South Africa’s coaches are suggesting their plan: play as the game develops, keep the top order’s roles clear, and make India work hard for every scoring chance.

If you’ve been following the wider discussion about this India vs South Africa T20I, you can find more notes about the matches and the game’s background at All Panel – without having to follow lots of different sources.

Important Points

• Morne Morkel has highlighted two things that will be important: India’s middle overs scoring against finger spin, and how well India field as the tournament gets tighter.
• Ryan ten Doeschate’s view is tactical: opponents are using finger spin and long boundaries to slow down India’s left-handed top order in the middle of the innings.
• The choice between Axar and Washington is about which players match up best, and how the ball will be when it’s wet – a wet ball can make “simple” bowling more useful than bowling with lots of different styles.
• South Africa are not showing any emotion, and their roles are clear, with de Kock dismissing talk of 2024 and concentrating on the plan for today.
• Ahmedabad is set for a full game, and the dew will probably affect which team bats first, and the last ten overs.

Final Thoughts

This Super 8 match isn’t being presented as a revenge game by either side. It’s being seen as a problem to solve: India dealing with spin and catching, and South Africa staying calm and accurate with their roles and matchups.

You’ll see which team’s message was real by the time the first strategic timeout arrives. Watch the first eight overs of spin, and the first dropped catch – these two things will tell you where this India vs South Africa T20I is going.