Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin doesn’t want the team management to drop Abhishek Sharma for the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad; however, he did call out the left-handed batter for not biding his time and playing according to the situation. The 25-year-old has been having a tournament to forget, scoring just one fifty and being dismissed for ducks on three occasions. In the semi-final against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Abhishek did hit two boundaries against Will Jacks in the second over; however, a rush of blood saw him once again throw his wicket away.
This was the fourth time that Abhishek lost his wicket to a spinner in the tenth edition of the T20 World Cup. Previously, he was dismissed by Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha, Netherlands’ Aryan Dutt, and West Indies’ Akeal Hosein.
Speaking of Abhishek’s wicket against England, the batter went for a big shot and perished. The off-spinner floated the ball up, inviting the left-hander to go for the aerial shot. Abhishek did not get the desired connection as the ball came from the bottom part of his bat. Phil Salt did not have any trouble in completing the catch.
“Abhishek Sharma has that factor. In the series against New Zealand, he was in top form. He has batted well against Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry in the past. So I wouldn’t be too fussed about Abhishek. But I would like to have a conversation with him. I would tell him, ‘Listen, there’s a plan against you.’ So don’t try hard to hit the ball,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’.
“In the semi-final against England, I think it was headless batting from him. I am a big fan of his gameplay. He scored eight runs against Jacks, but he intended to score 30 runs against him. Sometimes, you have to leave the ball. Sanju Samson is going so well at the other end, so you just need to take the single and get to the other end. You will get your tee time,” he added.
‘Good talent’
The former India spinner also advised head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav not to put undue pressure on Abhishek. He said that the batter just needs to be told that he can take his time, as Sanju Samson is going well at the other end.
“Abhishek is a damn good talent, but I just want to know what sort of conversations are being had with him. Is he coming under too much pressure? If you give him more pressure, then he will look to hit the ball harder. He is a fluent player who relies on timing. You have to keep him in good space, and I will continue with him,” said Ashwin.
Speaking of the semi-final, India defeated England by 7 runs, defending 253/7. The Wankhede Stadium produced a run-fest, with both teams scoring almost 500 runs.
