Abhishek Sharma’s last two dismissals have been against off-spinners. That too on similar lines. A back-of-a-length ball in the stumps, which cramps him for room. Does Abhishek have a technical weakness that is being exploited? Irfan Pathan thinks the problem lies in the opener’s shot selection.
Before the India vs South Africa match in the T20 World Cup 2026, the former Indian all-rounder highlighted how Abhishek isn’t looking to hit straight, and instead goes for shots square of the wicket. Considering the pitch hasn’t been true, hitting across the line has been causing issues.
Abhishek Sharma’s dry run
Abhishek looks to back away, create room for himself, and then hit in the gaps or over the field. But the bowlers have started to cramp him. Making him force shots. That’s why Abhishek has registered 3 consecutive ducks.
“Abhishek Sharma is getting out to off-spinners. Against Pakistan and the Netherlands, off-spinners got him. The problem lies in his shot selection,” Pathan said on JioHotstar. “His bat comes down from a high angle, and he is not looking to hit straight. He is trying to play across the wicket. That is getting him into trouble. He moves his front foot away to create room, but bowlers are not giving him room. These are not drivable balls,” he added.
However, Irfan doesn’t want Abhishek to change things now. He believes the opener just needs to spend some time in the middle. He should get off the strike first and take a couple of balls before targeting bowlers.
“His bat angle is coming across, which is natural to him. He does not need to change that. If he tries to change it now, it will be a mess. First things first, get a single, get off the mark. Expect the spinner to come in, get to the other end, and target the fast bowlers. He does not need to bludgeon from the first ball,” Irfan added.
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