Gautam Gambhir works in the overs with Tilak Varma in the nets
All the preparation before the tournament was focused on the great opener from Punjab. Since breaking into the team, the combative southpaw has built a reputation for his consistent destruction at the top of the order and has been the sole reason opponents have been burning the midnight oil plotting his downfall.Careful planning by the opposition – USA and Pakistan – means he is yet to get his first World Cup goal. A severe stomach infection sandwiched between the two contests didn’t help either. A golden duck in the tournament opener was followed by a four-ball duck against Pakistan in Colombo. Prior to these outings, the 25-year-old, who enjoys a healthy average of 35.05 and a menacing strike rate of 193.29 in the format, had failed to open his account twice in the five-T20I series against New Zealand at home.
Abhishek Sharma
Four ducks in the last seven innings is not ideal reading for a player who has struck fear into opponents. He will get another chance to regain his form on Wednesday before the business end of the T20 World Cup gets underway. The optional net session on the eve of the game was a long and lonely grind for the opener, spending a lot of time working on his range against spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Washington Sundar. The usual big hits were on display, but they weren’t the cleanest, sweetest-sounding hits.Rightly so, he had a free hand to hit as head coach Gautam Gambhir stood behind the nets where Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh were batting. Bat flow and swing are such an integral part of his batting that the moment he gets back to normal, the runs come at a pace everyone is used to seeing from a left-hander. Although the connection wasn’t ideal, Abhishek got a better flow and extended his elbows well while traversing the various pockets of the stadium.“In the last match, he came in first. So one thing we are definitely doing is not overanalysing,” was batting coach Sitanshu Kotak’s response when asked about Abhishek’s failure in the two matches.“He is someone who has his plan sorted and goes the way he wants and of course we discuss the opponent, their bowling, their bowling power, whatever they have done in the last few matches they have played. All this is normal for anyone, not just Abhishek,” the coach added.
If we start stressing so much, I think the players will be under unnecessary pressure. So he’s in good shape. He has clear plans. He has a clear mind. And that’s what matters
Sitanshu Kotak
India followed a high-risk template in the T20Is under captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir. Every batsman’s primary intention from the start was usually to pressure the bowler. This dominance explains their strong performance in the format and why they were the high-scoring team in the bilateral matches that preceded the multi-nation tournament.“Abhishek used to make runs in matches before that. Now in the T20 format, sometimes in 10 balls, 30 runs is just as important. Secondly, honestly, we focus on all the batsmen or all the players. We don’t think one player didn’t get his runs. Because in T20 it’s a high-risk game, somewhere or out. So when the players start stressing so much, I think the player will come under a lot of pressure. He’s in good shape, he’s got a clear plans.Instead, the coach looks on the bright side. He is very happy that the teams are trying to keep Abhishek quiet. Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson’s admission after the defeat to India was the latest example of detractors labeling the fearless batsman as a real deal in the Indian line-up.
Abhishek Sharma is yet to lose in the ongoing T20 World Cup. (PTI)
“Look, first of all, big credit to Abhishek if they’re planning and talking about him. Because I’m sure he must be doing well that they’re so interested in Abhishek. But we’re planning, he’s also coming up with ideas. Even in the last game, I don’t think anyone could have planned to get him out in the middle. He sat down and got out. And it’s great, it’s so fine for us. Big credit to him for the way he’s playing.” Kotak said.For setups that have successfully adopted a high-risk template, we focus on playing the situation and what the team requires at that stage. Like Suryakumar, he had to kick deep against USA and both he and Tilak had to hold the shots when Pakistan used the spin choke in Colombo.“I think playing aggressive cricket is important, but not because of a couple of misses a player changes. If anything, plans change according to the situation. So regardless of whether someone has scored in two innings or not, or someone… But it’s more about what the team needs at that time in those conditions,” explained Kotak.However, the same rules do not apply to Abhishek. He doesn’t play by the regular book and has a very straightforward approach. See the ball, hit the ball. While the think tank is not losing sleep over his lack of runs, the entire nation will surely sleep well and the opposition will be back to sleepless nights if Abhishek returns to form and contributes significantly to his T20 World Cup account – which he has yet to do.