Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: India opener Abhishek Sharma has had a rough start in the T20 World Cup 2026, getting out for three ducks in a row in the group stage. His poor run has raised concerns, but the Indian team management is still backing him strongly.Team India bowling coach Morne Morkel dismissed any talk of dropping him and said, “Absolutely no discussion on Abhishek Sharma in the group. He is going to deliver, for the team and viewers. He is entertaining. He is hitting the ball well in the nets.”
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels pressure is affecting the 25-year-old batter. He believes Abhishek is trying too hard to hit big shots from the first ball instead of settling in. “Abhishek Sharma is a lovely guy, but expectations seem to be weighing on him. If he had started well against the USA, it would have been different. Now, the pressure of being the big six-hitter and top batter is showing,” Gavaskar said.“With his shot range, he needs to spend time in the middle. He cannot try to hit a boundary or six on the first ball of his innings. If the big shots come, fine. But he shouldn’t force himself to play the big shots across the line,” he added.He also advised Abhishek to start slowly and build his innings. “Take a single and get off the mark. Even four dot balls don’t matter. He can make up for them later. He needs to play smart. Spend an hour or two settling in, then play his natural game. First, just get off the mark. Every batter wants that first run. Once he gets it, everything will fall into place,” he added.Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate also backed Abhishek and said he showed good form in training after recovering from illness. He said Abhishek batted well in the nets and should be fine in the next phase.With India reaching the Super 8s, the team hopes Abhishek will regain confidence and perform when it matters most.
