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Cricket PlayersIndia not hitting panic button over Abhishek Sharma’s 3 ducks, no team discussions about him: 'He is going to deliver'
The Indian team has entered the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup 2026, with Abhishek Sharma's struggles at the forefront.
The Indian team has marched into the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup 2026. With the crucial phase of the tournament approaching, the Indian fans and also probably the management would have hoped to be discussing match-ups, margins and momentum. Instead, Abhishek Sharma’s form has turned into the loudest headline - three ducks in the group stage, not a single run, and the kind of noise that can swallow a top-order batter if a camp even briefly starts treating it like a crisis.
On Friday, India bowling coach Morne Morkel tried to kill that storyline before it grew further teeth. The message from the press conference was clear: the dressing room isn’t holding team meetings over Abhishek’s zeroes. It is holding faith.
No panic discussions in the dressing room
When asked about whether there had been any discussions in the dressing room around the three ducks of Abhishek Sharma, Morkel replied: “Absolutely no discussion in our team group about that. Abhishek is a world-class player. So far in the tournament, luckily, there have been guys standing up with Abhishek, obviously not scoring the runs he would like.”
What Morkel is doing there is drawing a line between output and value. Abhishek hasn’t delivered the numbers yet, yes, but the management isn’t treating him like a problem to solve. They are treating it like a phase that a match-winner eventually breaks out of. And in a tournament that can flip on one eight–ball burst, the world-class tag isn’t just a polite praise - it is a selection argument in this case.
“It is a matter of getting his innings going”: Morne Morkel
Morkel’s second point was about timing - not the ball, but the tournament. Group stages allow patience. The Super 8s demand contribution. That is where he positioned Abhishek: not as someone being protected, but as someone expected to turn up right now.
“But we are going through a very important phase of the World Cup now, and I’m pretty sure he is going to deliver. Not so much just for the team, but also for all the viewers watching the game, because he’s entertaining, and we love to see that,” said Morkel.
The Indian bowling coach isn’t pretending the runs don’t matter. He is saying the player’s ceiling matters more, especially when games tighten, and one innings can decide a campaign.
And then he landed it where the coaches usually land it when they know a batter is close: the nets.
“So, yeah, I’m pretty sure he is hitting the ball well in the nets. It is just a matter of getting that started and getting his innings going,” added Morkel.
That is India’s stance in one neat summary: no panic, no internal drama, just backing - and a very specific expectation that Abhishek Sharma’s World Cup begins now.
