Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has come out in support of young Indian batter Abhishek Sharma after former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir called him a “slogger” ahead of the big India vs Pakistan match in the T20 World Cup 2026. Harbhajan strongly disagreed with Amir’s comment and said Abhishek is a proper and skilled batsman, not someone who just blindly hits the ball.
Amir had earlier made the remark while speaking on a Pakistani TV show, which sparked debate ahead of the high-voltage clash. Reacting to it, Harbhajan praised Abhishek’s batting ability and consistency. He said, “Abhishek Sharma is a quality player, and he is a player who is determined to win matches on his own. And not once, but he can do it again and again. I have played cricket, and I know that he is a proper batter who has all the shots; a lot of batsmen don’t have all the shots. A slogger is someone who only sees the ball and slogs; if it connects, great, and if it doesn’t, that’s fine too. He is not like that. He hits the first ball. And as long as he is on the crease, he keeps hitting. So, he is a proper batsman.”Harbhajan also said it is unfair for critics who have never bowled to Abhishek to judge him. He added, “People may say whatever they want. Because, in my opinion, I don’t think they have ever bowled in front of such a batter, and hence, it is wrong to comment that Abhishek is a slogger.”He urged Abhishek to prove his talent on the field, saying, “If I tell you the definition of a slogger, then a lot of people will get angry. So, I don’t want to say that. Because we don’t operate on that level, that they say something and we react again and again. I don’t want to do that. Because maybe he wants us to react. “But, anyway, I’ll say, Abhishek, show us tomorrow what you showed us before. And show us, what Abhishek can do. And I have a lot of hope from Abhishek. And if he plays for a long time, then Team India will set a very long score.”
