The Indian dressing room remains calm even as the noise outside around Abhishek Sharma grows louder. Three ducks in a row in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup would have sparked selection debates in most teams, but the Indian team management insists there is “absolutely no discussion” about dropping the left-arm opener ahead of their Super 8 clash against South Africa.
Bowling coach Morne Morkel made that position clear in Ahmedabad, strongly backing the 23-year-old despite a run where he failed to score in each of his three appearances in the group stage.
“It’s absolutely not talked about in our team group. He’s a world-class player. Fortunately, we’ve had other guys in the tournament so far who have stood with Abhishek and not scored the runs you’d like. We’re going through a very important phase of the World Cup now and I’m pretty sure he’ll do that. Not just for the team, but for them to see the game because all the spectators are watching him.” hitting the ball well in the nets, it’s just about getting it going and getting the innings going,” Morkel told reporters.
Abhishek’s campaign got off to an inauspicious start. He was ruled out of the first ball against the USA as he battled illness, a setback that worsened when he was later admitted to hospital and missed Namibia’s match in Delhi. Even after recovery, the runs did not come. He fell to Salman Agha against Pakistan and then to Aryan Dutt against the Netherlands, going scoreless on both occasions.
The numbers make grim reading. Abhishek now has five ducks in his last seven T20I innings. The five ducks are the most by an Indian in a single calendar year in T20Is, and that’s only February. For a batsman who entered the tournament as the world No. 1 in T20Is and one of India’s most explosive options at the top, the slump was significant.
His intent was never questioned. Abhishek continued his natural attacking game and looked to dominate the Powerplay. But this aggression repeatedly cost him his wicket early, leaving India without the flying starts he is capable of providing. It has also fueled debate about whether the approach needs to be tweaked at this stage of the global tournament.
Inside the camp, however, the message is one of patience rather than panic. India progressed through the group stage with more batsmen and softened the impact of Abhishek’s failures. The management seems convinced that a player of his caliber does not need protection from pressure, but support through it.
The Super 8s will bring tougher opposition, starting with South Africa. India know that early momentum at the top can affect the course of knockout matches. They also know that Abhishek can change the tempo of a contest within a handful of deliveries at best.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
February 20, 2026