Gavaskar Criticises Abhishek After T20 WC Loss
Sunil Gavaskar Criticises Abhishek Sharma After T20 World Cup Defeat
Struggles Continue in ICC T20 World Cup 2026
India opener Abhishek Sharma’s lean run in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 has drawn sharp attention after another modest outing in the Super 8 clash against South Africa in Ahmedabad. India went on to lose the match by 76 runs, adding further scrutiny on the young batter’s form.
Abhishek, who entered the tournament with expectations of providing explosive starts, managed just 15 runs off 12 balls before being dismissed.
Gavaskar Points to Pressure and Tactical Bowling
Speaking on the Star Sports post-match panel, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar assessed Abhishek Sharma’s recent struggles. He said the batter appeared affected by match pressure, which he felt was impacting his fluency at the crease.
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“The fluency is not there at the moment. In the nets, you know you’ll face the next ball even if you get out on the first. But in a match, it’s a completely different story. That pressure can almost freeze you, restricting the free movement of the arms when aiming for a big shot,” Gavaskar said.
He also noted South Africa’s bowling approach. “He got a little stuck there, and South Africa bowled very cleverly. They know he likes to make room and play through the offside, so look at Rabada, he kept targeting the pads relentlessly, even after conceding a six,” Gavaskar added.
Series of Low Scores Raise Questions
Abhishek Sharma had registered consecutive ducks in the group stage against the USA, Pakistan, and the Netherlands. He also missed the match against Namibia due to health issues.
In his absence and during parts of the tournament, Ishan Kishan had taken on the role of providing quick starts. However, Kishan was dismissed without scoring in the South Africa encounter, which affected India’s early momentum.
Though Abhishek stayed longer at the crease in Ahmedabad compared to previous outings, his 15-run knock did not translate into a strong foundation for the innings.
With India’s campaign facing pressure in the latter stages of the tournament, attention remains on the top order to deliver consistency in high-stakes matches.
