Former England captain Nasser Hussain feels Abhishek Sharma’s poor form is down to a mental issue after he was dismissed for a duck against the Netherlands on Wednesday (February 18). Abhishek’s recent performances have drawn attention as India prepares for the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2026. The Indian opener has seen concerns over his crucial batting phase of the three-phase tournament. against South Africa.
During a group stage match against the Netherlands, off-spinner Aryan Dutt cleaned up Abhishek in the first over. The Indian opener rejoined the squad for the match against Pakistan in Colombo but was dropped by off-spinner Salman Ali Agha. Those struggles have now led to Sharma scoring five ducks in his last seven T20I innings, including two during the pre-World Cup home series against New Zealand.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain weighed in on the situation and suggested that the problem may be more psychological than technical.
“I think the three ducks have to do it mentally. It’s not like you get 10, 15, 20 and then you say, ‘I’m fine’. Three ducks all at once, I mean, it’s such a departure from where he was. He’s such a consistent hitter of the ball,” Hussain told the ICC.
“REMEMBER YOUR GREATNESS”
Hussain advised the young batsman to go back to his past successful performances to regain confidence. The former England captain said that Abhishek needs to spend a few days watching his best batting and getting into a good space.
“You need somebody to nudge him a little bit or even go to his room in the next few days and put in videos. I don’t know if they have videos, I’m talking like an old man now. Get your analyst to send you all those great shots, which there are a lot of them, and just sit there for two days and remind yourself what a great batsman you are and what a good hitter you are,” Hussain said.
India’s upcoming match against South Africa on Sunday, February 22 will be mark the start of their Super 8 campaign.
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Published on:
February 19, 2026