Morkel's hard-hitting take on Abhishek Sharma’s slump: ‘Game can be cruel, Sanju Samson found himself in same situation'

Morkel threw his weight behind Abhishek Sharma despite his dip in form, drawing parallels with how Sanju Samson had battled through a similar phase.

India bowling coach Morne Morkel responded to mounting concerns over Abhishek Sharma’s dip in form during the ongoing T20 World Cup. Touted as a potential match-winner for India in the marquee event, the left-hander has struggled to find rhythm. Apart from a lone half-century against Zimbabwe, his campaign has been underwhelming, marked by three ducks and a couple of modest scores. The slump has made it a frustrating tournament for him personally, prompting scrutiny over his place and influence in the XI. The left-hander has scored just 80 runs in six innings at an average of 13.33, with a highest score of 55 and a strike rate of 131.14, figures that reflect a T20 World Cup campaign that has struggled to gather momentum.

Abhishek Sharma has been going through a lean patch. (ANI Image)

Morkel threw his weight behind Abhishek despite his dip in form, drawing parallels with how Sanju Samson had battled through a similar phase before delivering when it mattered.

“No, I think just sometimes this game can be hard on you, cruel on you. Similar situation that Sanju found himself in – in your career you’re going to find moments like this and this is good growth for him. It’s good learning for him. For a young sort of guy finding his feet in international cricket, this will only help him down the line and for Indian cricket," Morkel said in the pre-match conference ahead of the semi-final against England.

The left-hander has found it tough against off-spin early in his innings during the T20 World Cup, and the added pressure to attack pace bowlers from the outset has only compounded his struggles.

“Fresh page for him against England”

Elaborating further, Morkel said Abhishek's aggressive approach means a single boundary or two could quickly restore his rhythm, urging him to revisit his past success against England and embrace the semi-final as a clean slate.

"But coming back to his form, you know, Abhishek, his way of playing is it’s one or two shots that can find him that rhythm, that can give him that confidence back. And that for me is a pleasing sign. He’s not a guy that worries too much about technique; normally those sort of players take a lot more time to get into confidence. So, like I said, it’s a fresh page for him tomorrow, opportunity to go and do well. Scored a hundred here against England not so long ago. So for him it’s just tapping into those little videos and looking at his feel‑good moments and building a blueprint and knowing he’s starting on zero tomorrow. It’s a new opportunity for him,” he added.