NEW DELHI: The heavy loss to South Africa national cricket team in their Super 8 opener was the “shakeup” favourites India required ahead of the decisive phase of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, according to former head coach Ravi Shastri.

India will look to bounce back strongly against Zimbabwe national cricket team on Thursday after suffering a crushing 76 run defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

The setback was India’s first loss after a remarkable run of 12 consecutive wins across the previous two editions of the T20 World Cup.

"You win 12 matches on the trot, there's bound to be an off day. And I'm glad it has come early. It might just be the shakeup India needed," Shastri told on the latest episode of The ICC Review.

"It might also make them rethink their strategy as to the composition of the side going ahead.

"They would have learned from that last experience that they're not going to take things for granted because in this Super Eight if you lose one more (match), then you're really putting yourself under serious pressure."

Extra spinner the way forward

Speaking about team combination for Thursday’s crucial clash, Shastri recommended adding another spinner considering the spin friendly conditions in India.

He backed the return of vice captain Axar Patel, who was left out for Washington Sundar in the previous game.

"They have to bring him (Axar Patel) back. You need that experience. I would say play both (Patel and Sundar). Give yourself that extra option. Because on a given day, you're bound to have one bowler who's going to have an off day. Like for example, Varun Chakravarthy on Sunday," Shastri noted.

"If Axar Patel is playing, he might be batting at No.8. You have got Hardik Pandya at No.5, you've got Shivam Dube at No.6, you've got Washington Sundar at No.7. Axar can go at No.5 as well.

“Now, if eight batters can't do the job in T20 cricket, then something's wrong, especially with that kind of firepower. Where you're missing out is you're not giving yourself that extra option of a bowler, which I think is important."

Ponting backs best possible XI

Australia great Ricky Ponting, an ICC Hall of Famer, also felt India erred by not playing Axar against the Proteas and expects the hosts to field their strongest XI.

"Listening to the commentary, the reason Axar didn't play (against South Africa) is because of the left handers in the opposition side. But there's still some right handers there. It just comes down to the art of the captain of being able to use Axar at the right time," said Ponting, who guided Australia to two ODI World Cup titles.

"I would be going back to the basics. I'd be just looking at their lineup. Who's our best XI for the conditions in Chennai?

"If that has Axar Patel in it, great. If it has Kuldeep Yadav in it, that's the other one that I'd be thinking about bringing back because it doesn't matter with him if it's left-hand or right-hand. He can bowl wrong ones and spin the ball away from the left-hand outside edge of both those batters," he added.

(With PTI Inputs)