T20 World Cup: Abhishek Sharma's Struggle Explained, India Star Receives Antidote To Shrug Off Patchy Form Against South Africa

Abhishek Sharma's struggles in his maiden T20 World Cup have been pretty evident. The Indian opener has not had the best of form in the tournament and has recorded three consecutive ducks so far. The onus will be on the Indian opener to end his T20 World Cup drought in the first Super 8 clash against South Africa in Ahmedabad.

Irfan Pathan Explains Abhishek Sharma's Struggles

Abhishek has emerged as India's flagbearer in the shortest format. The Sunrisers Hyderabad star is known for his explosive starts in the shortest format and India would hope he fires at the top to provide the defending champions with a solid start. On two of the last two occasions, he became a victim of off-spinners and Irfan Pathan believes Abhishek's shot selection is the cause of all his problems.

In an interaction with JioHotstar, he said, “Abhishek Sharma is getting out to off-spinners. Against Pakistan and the Netherlands, off-spinners got him. The problem lies in his shot selection. 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. They are bowling wide, not close to him. These are not drivable balls. These are balls you either take a single on or, if you hold your shape, you can hit one-bounce fours.”

Ahmedabad Pitch Report

The Ahmedabad pitch has traditionally favoured batters and has often produced high-scoring contests at the venue. During the last group-stage clash between India and the Netherlands, the former almost crossed the 200-run mark. While another run-fest could be on the cards, the black soil surface tends to lose pace as the game goes on, meaning the team chasing could face significant challenges as conditions change.

Also Read: India vs South Africa, T20 World Cup 2026 Live Score

Dew could also play a major factor, as scoring runs under the lights might become comparatively easy.

Also Read: T20 World Cup Super 8, Ahmedabad Pitch And Weather Update: Will Rain Wash Away India vs South Africa Clash?