Former India coach Ravi Shastri believes that teams at the T20 World Cup will be ‘worried’ that India’s destroyer-in-chief Abhishek Sharma has not got any runs yet. So far, out of the three group stage games that he has featured in, Abhishek Sharma has managed three ducks. As the Super 8 stage starts for India on Sunday with Suryakumar Yadav’s men facing South Africa, understandably there is some concern about Sharma’s form. India captain Yadav was even asked about Sharma.
But Shastri is not one of those who is fretting about the lack of runs from Sharma’s blade.
“I look at it as a positive that Abhishek Sharma has got three zeros. So, save your best for the important periods in the tournament. Teams will be a little worried that he’s not got runs,” Shastri said on the ICC Review. “I think the positive (for India) is that in every game there’s been someone who stood up. It has been Ishan Kishan, sometimes Surya (Suryakumar Yadav) in the first game. Tilak Varma has played his part. He’s got off to starts but I still think the best of him is still to come.”
Shastri added: “When there’s dew around, you need that extra bowling option. Whether it’s a Shivam Dube, whether it’s Hardik (Pandya) bowling his full quota of overs, whether it’s Tilak Varma who might roll his arm for an over or two, you need those options. I don’t think they’ll tinker with the side. I think the team that played in the last game was a good side.”
Shastri said that the only doubt that would be running in India think tanks minds is whether to play Axar Patel or Washington Sundar.
He also spoke about the game against South Africa.
“They’ve got depth in batting. India have got depth in batting. I think this is a cracking contest. This is two of the strongest teams, one would say, playing in this tournament, playing this game on the 22nd. Because you’d have to give them that credit because they were World Cup finalists last time around and they’re playing to potential at the moment,” Shastri said.
