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"The fluency is not there": Sunil Gavaskar weighs in on Abhishek's relentless struggle
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has given his views on the extended slump of young opener Abhishek Sharma during the ongoing T20 World Cup, expressing concern over Abhishek's inability to convert starts into impactful innings.
Following India’s big defeat in the Super 8 match against South Africa on Sunday in Ahmedabad, Gavaskar stated that while Abhishek showed slight improvement compared to his group-stage performances, the breakthrough knock still eluded him. The left-hander had endured a forgettable start to the tournament, registering three consecutive ducks during the league stage, which put him under significant scrutiny.
"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," Gavaskar said on Star Sports after the match.
"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," he added.
In the high-pressure Super 8 clash in Ahmedabad, Abhishek managed to get off the mark and appeared threatening at the crease. He struck a few shots early in his innings. However, just as he began building his innings, his stay was cut short by South Africa pacer Marco Jansen. Abhishek’s innings came to an end at 15 runs from 12 balls.
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