What is going wrong for Abhishek Sharma? Irfan Pathan reveals
Before the start of the T20 World Cup 2026, everyone was feeling that Abhishek Sharma would be the highest run scorer of the tournament, but the No. 1-ranked T20 batsman is still waiting for his first World Cup run. Abhishek was dismissed on a golden duck against the United States of America. And then, had similar results against Pakistan and the Netherlands. Now, the former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan feels every team has a plan for him and executes it against him. According to Pathan, the bowlers have made some specific plans to stop Abhishek's aggressive approach and get him out, and they are implementing them from the beginning.
In the first match, there was no clear pattern to Abhishek's dismissal. But in the last two matches, a pattern has emerged. Off-spinners have bowled at the stumps, almost targeting the leg stump line, not giving him any room, and keeping the mid-on fielder inside the circle. Against Pakistan, he was dismissed by a part-time off-spinner (Agha Salman). Then, against Aryan Dutt, he was bowled in the very first over while playing across the line against off-spin,” Irfan explained in a video on his YouTube channel.
“At first, I felt there was no pattern. But when you get out similarly twice, it means the opposition has a clear plan against you. The plan is simple: as an off-spinner, do not give him room. Today, during commentary, I was discussing this with Harbhajan Singh. He used to bowl around the wicket to left-handers, angling the ball in. When a batter with a new ball is looking for a turn, he can get trapped. That is what happened with Abhishek Sharma,” Irfan added.
Irfan Pathan further said that Abhishek Sharma will have to change his mindset while batting. He will need to take some time on the pitch initially, and then things will become normal for him. He will have to be ready to play the mindful game rather than looking to hit a boundary on every single ball.
“But if an off-spinner comes on, my advice to him would be this: expect that they will not give you room. If your bat naturally comes across, ideally, you should try to play straight down the ground. However, if you do not want to change your natural pattern completely, then mentally you must be prepared to take a single when the ball is slightly wide.
"If the ball is pitched up, you can adjust even if your bat comes slightly across, because you can reach it with your feet and still play straight. The real danger is when the ball is on a length, and you follow your natural instinct to go across the line. That is where you get trapped. You are not being given room, so you must recognise that plan,” Irfan advised the Indian opener.
India has played all their group stage matches and secured convincing victories. India will now play their Super 8 matches. Suryakumar Yadav & co.’s next cricket match will be against South Africa at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on February 22. Then, India will face Zimbabwe at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on February 26 and the West Indies at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on March 1.
