Star India cricketer BACKS Abhishek Sharma amid disappointing T20 World Cup 2026 form, says, 'We've seen what...'
Star India cricketer reflected on Abhishek Sharma's disappointing form in the T2O World Cup 2026, backing the young batter to bounce back and highlighting his match winning potential
Abhishek Sharma (Source: X)
T20 World Cup 2026: The Men in Blue led by Suryakumar Yadav has been in unbeaten in the tournament so far and will be keen to secure a top-of-the-table finish when they face the Netherlands in their final Group A clash of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 in Ahmedabad.
Speaking on JioStar's 'Game Plan', expert Piyush Chawla reflceted on Abhishek Sharma's form, skipper Suryakumar Yadav's approach, and India's likely playing XI for the Netherlands clash.
Piyush Chawala on Abhishek Sharma's lean patch
Piyush Chawla backed Abhishek Sharma amid his lean patch in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, "There's nothing to worry about, to be very honest, because in the last 18 months or so, we have seen what Abhishek is capable of. He's the kind of batter who plays with a high-risk, high-reward approach, and you have to be a little patient with these kinds of players."
"As a bowler, the margin of error against him is very, very small. When the ball is right up there, in the two-metre slot, he has the lowest strike rate, and I feel that's because when the ball is new, bowlers try to get some swing out of it. Otherwise, in the remaining ones, he has a very high strike rate. He uses the long handle, with his grip slightly higher up on the bat, and because of that, his reach increases. Even when you bowl in a good area, his reach is so good that he can still hit that ball out of the park. That's when a bowler is left wondering, what have I done wrong?" Chawla further said
Chawal explains Suryakumar's calculated approach at the crease
Chawla also spoke about the change in skipper Suryakumar Yadav's batting approach, emphasizing that it is a conscious decision to spend some time at the crease before accelerating.
"It is a conscious choice to take some time initially. Just before the New Zealand series, Surya hadn't scored runs and people were talking about his form. But he bounced back in that series and made sure he takes his time, because he's the kind of batter who can recover his strike rate at any point. It just takes one or two overs. If he bats for 30 to 40 balls, he can still end up striking at 180. He becomes dangerous when you look at his range of sweep shots. His front foot comes a long way across, from there, he can play the conventional sweep, work it finer, and when he plants it straighter in line with the stumps, he can also hit over mid-wicket."
As a bowler, you prepare for Suryakumar Yadav, thinking that if he plays the sweep, you'll bowl outside the off stump. But he brings his foot across and plays it over square leg. I've hardly seen a batter hit a sweep over fine leg against a spinner, because there is no pace to work with, and he generates that pace with his bottom hand. That's why he's one of the most difficult batters to bowl against."
Chawla on India's playing XI for Netherlands clash
Chawla also opened up about the changes India might make in the playing XI for their final group stage match against Netherlands.
"It's horses for courses for India at the moment. They went to Sri Lanka, where it was a spinning wicket and a slow surface. So Arshdeep might come back in, and Kuldeep Yadav will have to make way. For this game, it's likely to be just one change. Kuldeep, unfortunately, misses out. He's a quality bowler. I don't see any other changes. They are all quality players in the 15, waiting for their opportunity. Whenever they get their chance, if needed, they're ready to go. So there's no need for experimentation."
Chawla on the wicket-taking lengths for pacers in Ahmedabad, "If you look at the slot ball, pacers have taken 11 wickets in Ahmedabad, generally either at the death or with the new ball. When a pacer bowls with the new ball, he tries to pitch it up and get it to swing. In that situation, a batter can miscue the shot and you get a wicket. Then there's the length delivery, which is effective on any pitch. Regardless of the surface, you can pick up wickets with that length, though you can also concede runs."
"At Ahmedabad, because of the red soil, there is bounce, and that sometimes makes it difficult for the batter. These two lengths, between four and eight metres, hold the key. Arshdeep, who likes to swing the ball up front, benefits from that four-metre length, especially now that he can move the ball both ways. From a bowling point of view, that becomes a huge advantage." Chawla concluded
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