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Cricket PlayersGautam Gambhir, Suryakumar Yadav told not to rush Abhishek Sharma in playing XI: ‘Regardless of how big IND vs PAK is’
Former Australia skipper Aaron Finch weighed in on Sanju Samson’s attacking start at the top and the cautious approach around Abhishek Sharma's fitness.
Abhishek Sharma’s fitness has emerged as a major concern for India in the ongoing T20 World Cup. The attacking opener featured in the game against USA despite feeling unwell, fell on the first ball, and did not take the field afterwards. He was later ruled out of the clash against Namibia after suffering from viral fever and a stomach infection that required a brief hospital stay earlier in the week. The illness also led to noticeable weight loss, prompting the team management to avoid rushing him back into action and instead prioritise his recovery ahead of upcoming matches.
After the Namibia clash, India spinner Varun Chakaravarthy hinted that he might be back in the XI for the crucial Pakistan clash as he also travelled with the team to Colombo for Sunday's encounter.
Former Australia skipper Aaron Finch weighed in on Sanju Samson’s attacking start at the top and the cautious approach around Abhishek's fitness, suggesting India should prioritise long-term goals over rushing players back too soon as the tournament progresses.
“No, they’re stacked enough, no doubt about that. Sanju at the top — he got off to a flyer last night, along with Ishan. As big as the game is, I think India would have their eye on the Super 8s, the semi-final, and the final. So, to me, if Abhishek is still under the weather and you don’t want to take a risk, that’s totally fine, because you understand that you can’t win the tournament in this first phase, but you can certainly lose it," Finch was quoted as saying on India Today.
“Want your best players fit and healthy at business end”
Finch stressed the importance of managing Abhishek's recovery carefully, noting that India would be better served ensuring their explosive opener is fully fit for the decisive stages of the tournament rather than rushing him back too early.
"And he’s the most damaging player in world cricket, so you want him fit and firing. And if that means he has to take a couple of extra days of rest, then I think that’s something you would absolutely be prepared to do, regardless of how big the India versus Pakistan match is on paper. You want your best players fit and healthy when the business end of the tournament comes around," he added.
