It is certainly a transitioning time for hosts India as they adjust to life without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who retired from the shortest format after the 2024 T20 WC victory. Abhishek Sharma is one of the few players on the shortlist of replacements but has failed to show consistency in his brief tenure with the national team. The left-handed top-order batter is known for his ability to hit all parts of the ground. This prowess was on full display when he scored a blistering century off 47 deliveries in the second T20I vs Zimbabwe in July 2024.
Former India batter Aakash Chopra has acknowledged Sharma’s potential but believes he will need to be in full form in the five-match series against England, beginning on Wednesday at the Eden Gardens, if he wants to maintain his spot in the side.
“Abhishek’s form has been a little up and down. In the beginning, in his second T20I, he scored a century against Zimbabwe. After that, a lot of promise, and a lot of potential, but not enough performance. So, I think for Abhishek Sharma, this is the final opportunity, and I really love the kid. I think if he does well, it will be a great thing. But these 5 matches—go ahead and live your life. Because in these matches, like Sanju has made his name in the last 3 matches, in the same way, Abhishek Sharma will have to do it. Or else, there will be a little change in time, and Jaiswal will come back,” said Chopra to Star Sports.
Sharma has represented the national team in 12 T20Is and barring the century against Zimbabwe, he has managed to accumulate 156 in 11 games. Although his strike rate is promising at 171.81, his average is certainly a worry at 23.27.
The Suryakumar Yadav-led team will be bolstered with the return of pace veteran Mohammed Shami ahead of the all-important Champions Trophy, scheduled to start next month. Shami last played for India in the ODI World Cup final against Australia in November 2023. On the other hand, pacer Mark Wood will make his return to the team for the first time since August. He will join Jofra Archer and Jamie Overton in England’s pace-attack as the visitors announced their playing XI for the series opener on Tuesday.
India and England have faced each other 24 times in T20Is, with India holding a slight advantage with 13 wins to England’s 11. However, India have won five of the last seven T20I encounters between the two teams since 2021. Their last T20I clash occurred in the semi-finals of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup, where India secured a memorable victory.
The series will begin in Kolkata and then move to Chennai, Rajkot, Pune, and Mumbai for the remaining matches. The final T20I will take place in Mumbai on February 2.
Chopra further went on to label the battle of heavyweights as a ‘bat-vs-bat contest.’
“It’s going to be a bat-vs-bat contest. Because batting is a heavy-weight on both sides. If we look at the clash, it’s not a light-weight clash. It’s a heavy-weight clash, in which, if you hit a six, the other team can hit two. And it’s possible that if the pitch is right, both innings will be equal. The tempo can be set with the first match, and the other team will also look at it from the same perspective.
“You’re also playing elevens. You’re also worried about batting. That’s why you play two-three proper bowlers; the rest are all-rounders. So, when both teams play the same type of cricket, almost a similar brand of cricket, then there should be a good clash. In my opinion, there should be a lot of runs,” he added.
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