New Delhi, June 29 (IANS) India’s Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign came under fresh scrutiny after former India opener Aakash Chopra assessed the team’s tactical decisions and long-term priorities following their defeat to Australia, which ended their hopes of progressing further in the tournament.

Speaking after India’s elimination, Chopra questioned the timing of Jemimah Rodrigues’ retirement and identified fitness as a critical area requiring attention if India are to challenge the world’s leading sides in future ICC events.

Chopra felt India missed an opportunity by delaying a tactical batting change during the innings, arguing that maximising every delivery should take precedence over conventional thinking.

“My issue is that retiring out a batter is still seen as taboo, as if retiring a batter out means you’ve insulted them. But that’s not the case. I’ll draw a simple parallel. If a bowler isn’t having a great day, we don’t forcefully make them bowl their full quota. So, if a batter is trying their level best and just isn’t able to time the ball well, why should they bat out their entire innings? Ultimately, it’s a game of 120 balls, and you have to maximise every one of them,” Chopra told JioStar.

He believed India’s innings had already lost momentum before the middle overs and suggested greater urgency was required in deploying their finishing resources.

“You were already behind the eight ball when Shafali and Smriti Mandhana played almost run-a-ball innings, then Harmanpreet had to single-handedly finish the game. It’s not like Richa would have started hitting sixes from the outset, but if you have resources and still don’t use them well, you’re just left regretting the decision of not bringing Richa in earlier,” he added.

Looking beyond the result, Chopra said India’s development ahead of the next global tournament should extend beyond tactical adjustments and place significant emphasis on athletic standards, particularly in the shortest format.

“One area where Indian women’s cricket will have to improve is fitness, and this format, especially, highlights that aspect. If you want to compete against Australia, South Africa and New Zealand in the shortest format, you’ll have to be a lot fitter,” the former opener said.

According to Chopra, T20 cricket increasingly rewards physical sharpness alongside technical ability, making fitness an indispensable component of success against the world’s strongest teams.

“In the longer formats, you can still stay relevant because of your skill and craft, but when it comes to T20s, which is a dynamic format, your fielding, how well you cover the ground, and how far you can hit the ball matter a lot more,” Chopra said.

Despite the disappointment of India’s campaign ending earlier than expected, Chopra maintained that the current squad possesses considerable potential, provided it embraces the necessary improvements before the next World Cup cycle.

“This team has a lot of upside and the potential to create history, so if they have to conquer the world, by the time the next World Cup arrives, everyone should look absolutely fit and hungry,” he concluded.

–IANS

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