Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has advised Abhishek Sharma to take a single off his very first delivery before going all guns blazing. The explosive Team India opener is yet to open his account and has been dismissed for ducks in the T20 World Cup 2026 games against the USA and Pakistan. Ahead of India’s encounter against Netherlands, Gavaskar has a golden advice for Sharma which will not only help him open his account but also flow freely thereafter.
‘Just knock a single first’
Speaking to Sports Today, Gavaskar said that his unsolicited advise to Abhishek would be to start his innings with a single. He said that taking a run will allow Sharma’s legs to move freely following which he can go berserk in his usual style.
“My unsolicited advice to Abhishek Sharma, just knock a single first. That’s it. Then you can start banging after that. But just knock a single, take a quick single where your legs also move quickly and then after that go on,” Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar further cautioned Abhishek over taking his form for granted. He said that the opener can go out of territory once he is set.
“It is the confidence that one has in oneself. He got a hundred against New Zealand. He is in form and good touch and he is cashing in on that. What is important is that he is not taking good form for granted. A lot of batters do that and look to go bang bang. You can go out of your territory once you are set, and that is exactly what we have seen from him,” Gavaskar added.
Ravi Shastri’s message for Abhishek Sharma
“I think he’s due, but he just has to give himself a little bit of time,” Shastri told Sanjana Ganesan via ICC after India’s demolition job of Pakistan.
“Such things happen and you can go off the boil, but he’s just got to give himself a little more time until he gets back on track. Because for him to convert those dot balls later on into boundaries and sixes, is not difficult.”
