T20 World Cup IND vz NZ: How Shivam Dube’s bat helped Abhishek Sharma regain form

“I have played such a long innings after a long time, so I am having cramps. Sorry guys.” Abhishek Sharma — India’s marauding opener — was candid enough to admit that as he excused himself early from the post-match media interaction. His opening partner Ishan Kishan continued to field questions from a large media contingent well past 1 a.m., hours after India sealed a historic Men’s T20 World Cup triumph.

Abhishek had entered the tournament as a prime contender for the Player of the Tournament award. But by the time India reached the knockouts, the narrative had shifted to his loss of form. Captain Suryakumar Yadav had publicly backed him, saying: “Since he has carried the burden of the team on his shoulders for so long, it’s time for us to do the same when he is going through a tough patch.”

A tally of 89 runs from eight innings — including a lone half-century against Zimbabwe — at a strike rate hovering around 130 had raised questions. On Sunday night, though, Abhishek turned the tide emphatically.

His blistering 21-ball 52 laid the platform for India’s emphatic 96-run win over New Zealand, making India the first team to defend the T20 World Cup, the first to win it at home and the first to claim the title three times.

Abhishek, however, credited Shivam Dube — one of India’s unsung heroes of the campaign for the second successive edition — for playing a small but crucial role in the turnaround.

“Today I batted with Shivam Dube’s bat, so thank you Dube,” Abhishek said. “In the morning I felt like trying something different. Shubman (Gill) was not around, so I walked up to Dube and picked his bat.”

At the Narendra Modi Stadium, the signs were evident early. His first ball — a solid forward defence to Glenn Phillips — hinted that he was willing to bide his time. Once convinced the surface was as true as the one at the Wankhede Stadium during the semifinal, Abhishek cut loose, racing to a half-century in just 18 balls.

The unwavering backing from the Indian dressing room and Abhishek’s own belief eventually paid off — a lesson that extends beyond cricket.

“I have been dealing with this phase for the last one month after having a dream run for about a year and a half. One thing matters a lot in such situations — the company you keep. If the people around you want to help you become better, it makes a big difference. When I was not contributing with the bat, everyone in the team still believed in me. They kept saying, ‘He will do it’,” Abhishek said.

“I never doubted my teammates, coaches or the support staff. The only question I had was why things were not working for me. I believe the environment around you matters a lot. The people around you should motivate you. Everyone goes through tough phases in life, not just in cricket. At that time, the company you keep becomes very important.”

“The first thing is to trust yourself no matter how bad the phase is. When you start doubting yourself, it creates pressure and you cannot play your natural game. That doesn’t help the team either. Self-confidence, hard work and helping others are very important. When you help others, it eventually comes back to you.”

As it turned out, borrowing a teammate’s bat — a friendly gesture —ended up helping Abhishek rediscover his touch on the biggest stage.