Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar delivered a pointed assessment of Abhishek Sharma's prolonged slump after the batter's latest failure in the T20 World
Cup 2026 Super Eight clash against South Africa national cricket team in Ahmedabad.
Abhishek, who had endured three ducks in the group stage, showed brief signs of recovery but fell for 15 off 12 balls. His innings ended when Marco Jansen's knuckleball induced a top-edge that was safely taken at mid-wicket, further deepening concerns around his form in a high-pressure tournament.
"The fluency is not there"
Analysing the dismissal on Star Sports, Gavaskar pointed to a visible lack of rhythm and the mounting psychological pressure of tournament cricket.
"The fluency is not there at the moment. In the nets, you know you'll face the next ball even if you get out on the first. But in a match, it's a completely different story. That pressure can almost freeze you, restricting the free movement of the arms when aiming for a big shot. He got a little stuck there, and South Africa bowled very cleverly. They know he likes to make room and play through the off-side, so look at Rabada, he kept targeting the pads relentlessly, even after conceding a six," Gavaskar said on Star Sports after the match.
Gavaskar's analysis extended beyond the individual dismissal, highlighting how South Africa's bowlers - particularly Kagiso Rabada - executed a clear tactical plan. By cramping Abhishek for room and denying him width outside off-stump, they effectively neutralised his natural scoring zones.
"Batters showed poor shot selection"
India's struggles were not limited to one batter. Chasing 188, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side collapsed to 111 in 18.5 overs, registering their heaviest defeat in T20 World Cup history.
Reflecting on the broader batting failure, Gavaskar was unsparing.
"Batters showed poor shot selection. Look at David Miller and Dewald Brevis; on a pitch where the ball wasn't coming onto the bat easily, they applied themselves and built a good score. However, the Indian batters failed to do the same," Gavaskar added.
While South Africa preserved their unbeaten run, India's first loss of the campaign has tightened the qualification equation. For Abhishek, the numbers tell a stark story; for India, the larger concern is whether their attacking template can adapt when conditions demand restraint rather than instinct.
