Abhishek Sharma registered a golden duck in India's opening game of the 2026 T20 World Cup and was subsequently admitted to the hospital after experiencing stomach pain. While the Punjab batter was discharged on the eve of India's clash against Namibia on Thursday, February 12, the team management benched him for that game, giving him a bit more time to regain full fitness.
When it became clear that Abhishek wouldn't be playing against the African team, former Indian batter Rohan Gavaskar said that the opener
can instil fear into the minds of the opposition with his ultra-aggressive batting approach inside the powerplay. Gavaskar compared Abhishek to the legendary Viv Richards, who was one of the most destructive batters of his time.
"Once you've got the weight of performances in the bank, even if you get out for a few first-ball ducks, you are still in the 11. So the fear of not being in the side is not there, which allows you to play without pressure. He puts the fear of God into the opposition. It's what Viv Richards used to do in the 80s," Gavaskar said on Cricbuzz.
Gavaskar stated that teams will not feel safe even if they post 280 runs in a T20I against India, as they will know that if Abhishek bats through the powerplay, he will keep his team in the chase with his explosive approach to batting.
"If the opposition has got 280 in a T20 and India are chasing that, they won't be thinking we've got this game in the bag. Because they know in the first six overs, if Abhishek bats through that period, India could well be in that chase," he added.
"If he was playing in the 1960s, he would have been a quality Test player" - Rohan Gavaskar
Gavaskar also opined that had Abhishek played in the 1960s, he would have been a quality Test player. The 25-year-old has only played T20I cricket so far in his international career. In 39 T20Is, he has amassed 1297 runs at an average of 36.03 and a strike rate of 194.46.
"It's the naturally born ability. Like a Virat would have been great in any era. That's when you are called an all-time great. Likewise, Abhishek Sharma, with the kind of ability he has, if he was playing in the 1960s, he would have been a quality Test player. You are a product of the environment you grow up in. He has enhanced that ability in T20s for this era. In another era, he would have excelled in the other formats," said Gavaskar (via the aforementioned source).
Sanju Samson played the game against Namibia, replacing Abhishek. The wicketkeeper-batter scored a quickfire 22 off eight balls. India posted 209/9 on the back of fifties from Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya. Namibia were bowled out for 116 in the second innings as the Men in Blue won by 93 runs.
