Ajinkya Rahane Warns Indian Batters About Abhishek Sharma’s High-Risk Game Ahead of T20 World Cup

Vizag: Veteran Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane has backed Abhishek Sharma’s ultra-aggressive batting style, stating that while it comes with risks, it could ultimately strengthen India’s preparedness for the upcoming T20 World Cup by preventing over-reliance on any single player.

Rahane’s comments came after India suffered a 50-run defeat to New Zealand in the fourth T20I in Vizag, a match that exposed vulnerabilities in India’s batting order despite the hosts having already secured the series.

On a challenging night while chasing a steep target of 216, Abhishek Sharma’s dismissal for a golden duck highlighted the inherent risk of a high-impact strategy at the top. The early wicket sparked debate about India’s batting resilience when the explosive opener fails to fire.

Speaking on CricBuzz, Rahane acknowledged that such outcomes are part and parcel of fearless Cricket, especially in the T20 format.

“This is going to happen with Abhishek Sharma. He plays high-risk cricket. When it comes off, he’ll win you games—we all know that. But there will be days when he gets out first ball, even for zero. That can happen in a World Cup,” Rahane said.

Abhishek Sharma’s Role and India’s Batting Balance

Rahane emphasized that India should view such failures as learning opportunities rather than setbacks, stressing the importance of collective responsibility.

“I didn’t think the Indian batting today was dependent on Abhishek Sharma alone. As a unit, they were good. They played with seven batters, and you could clearly see the difference of having seven instead of eight in the side,” he added.

Abhishek was dismissed on the opening delivery while attempting to launch Matt Henry for a maximum, only to edge the ball to Devon Conway stationed at deep point. The early blow triggered a top-order wobble, with Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav also falling cheaply in quick succession.

India’s Batting Display in the Vizag T20I

Despite the setback in Vizag, Abhishek Sharma has enjoyed a strong series overall. He remains the third-highest run-scorer in the series with 152 runs from four matches, averaging 50.66 at an extraordinary strike rate of 266.66.

His breathtaking 14-ball half-century in the Raipur T20I — the second-fastest fifty by an Indian — showcased his ability to seize games within the powerplay and put opposition bowlers under immediate pressure.

With Ishan Kishan nursing a niggle, India opted to strengthen their bowling resources, effectively fielding six specialist batters. The middle order responded with intent, particularly Rinku Singh, who struck 39 off 30 balls after being promoted to No. 4.

Shivam Dube provided the highlight of the innings with a counterattacking knock of 65 off just 23 deliveries, smashing seven sixes and three boundaries. His onslaught lifted India from 82 for five to 145 for six and briefly reignited hopes of an unlikely chase.

Dube’s innings even eclipsed Hardik Pandya’s rare off-day, underlining India’s growing batting depth. While the late surge proved insufficient to overturn the deficit, the loss narrowed India’s series lead to 3–1.

More importantly, the Vizag defeat offered valuable insights for head coach Gautam Gambhir as India fine-tunes its combinations and approach ahead of the T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin on February 7.