Abhishej Sharma has been one of the most talked-about Indian cricketers in recent times. In the last year or so, he has been making a name for his antics on the field. He is a player who can dismantle any opposition with proper, brutish cricket. He has become a household name in India during that period. He has also become the number one batsman in the T20 format as well.
From the outset, it looked like he was invincible and had no chink in his armour. Everyone expected him to make a lot of runs in this T20 World Cup, especially when the event is being held in India and Sri Lanka. Abhishek has been in woeful form in the group stage of the event.
He has played three games in this tournament and made 0 runs in all three. He has not been able to open his account in this T20 World Cup. At the start of the tournament, he had stomach problems that added to his issues. However, his shaken confidence and inability to counter off-spinners are what surprised everyone.
During the New Zealand series, right before the T20 World Cup, he was either making a splash with outrageous shots or a duck. However, during the period, there was no issue with him regarding the dismissals. He was timing the ball very well.
In the first match against the USA, he timed the ball well, but it went straight into the hands of deep extra cover. Nobody paid any attention to Abhishek getting out this way in the first game, as it was part of his style.
In the Pakistan game, he got out to a part-timer, Salman Ali Agha. It was his fourth duck in 8 innings. This time, there was some chatter around his failures. Many questions were raised regarding his ability to counter off-spin on two-paced or spin-friendly tracks.
During the Netherlands game, he got out in the first over to an off-spinner. This time, fans and commentators were criticizing his mode of dismissal. During those 3 deliveries, it looked like he had no idea what was coming to him.
He looked underconfident during the brief stay at the crease. He left many questions around his ability to play off-spin.
No doubt, Abhishek is a generational talent and has scored many runs in the past. But it remains to be seen whether he will be able to counter off-spinners in the coming games.
