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Despite the recent slump, Abhishek Sharma vows to stick to the identical mindset that has made him essentially the most feared T20I batter currently.
Abhishek Sharma has made three geese in his last three innings. (PTI Photo)
Abhishek Sharma, India’s new-age batting prodigy and a cornerstone of their recent T20I dominance, finds himself within the midst of an premature slump – within the thick of a World Cup, no less. Arriving on the marquee event because the world’s top-ranked T20I batter, he has since endured three consecutive innings without scoring. With India now moving into the Super Eights, the pressure to finish that streak is mounting.
A defining trait of the 25-year-old’s game has been his intent to attack from the very first ball. Most of the time, that approach has handed each him and India the right launchpad to seize control. Yet, while exhilarating, such high-risk aggression can misfire – because it did within the group stage, where he survived just eight deliveries across three innings.
The numbers underline the dip. He has registered five geese in his last seven outings. Overall, six of his 40 T20I innings have ended and not using a run, the primary coming on debut in July 2024.
India’s Super Eights campaign on the 2026 T20 World Cup will test their unbeaten momentum against similarly in-form sides. The defending champions open against South Africa, followed by Zimbabwe after which West Indies of their quest for a semi-final berth.
Behind the scenes, Abhishek has been putting within the hard yards in training, determined to rediscover his rhythm. Yet, by his own admission, he feels no burden.
“I just enjoy my batting,” he said in a video shared by Star Sports. “I finished taking pressure two years ago because I realised the method is in my hands. Practice and training are what I can control, and that’s what I give attention to. I enjoy this, so there’s no pressure as such.”
He understands that an athlete’s profession rarely follows a straight upward curve – peaks and troughs are inevitable. Despite the present downturn, he stays steadfast within the philosophy that elevated him to the highest of the T20I rankings.
“Batters at all times undergo ups and downs. Sometimes the runs come, sometimes they don’t. But I’ve decided that I’ll play a certain way, with a certain intent. I’ll or may not succeed, but I won’t change my process or mindset,” he said.
February 22, 2026, 06:44 IST
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