India captain Suryakumar Yadav on Saturday fired back at critics who questioned Abhishek Sharma’s form after the opener registered three consecutive ducks to start his T20 World Cup campaign. Speaking ahead of the Super 8 clash against South Africa in Ahmedabad, Suryakumar also ruled out the possibility of Abhishek being replaced by Sanju Samson, even if the struggles continue.
Abhishek Sharma and captain Suryakumar Yadav during a practice session before T20 World Cup 2026 match between India and South Africa (PTI)
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The left-hander has endured a forgettable start, yet to open his account after facing eight deliveries across three matches. In between, he missed the group-stage fixture against Namibia due to a stomach infection.
However, Suryakumar’s remarks underlined the team management’s backing for Abhishek, who had taken T20I cricket by storm last year. While acknowledging that the batter has been working on certain vulnerabilities, the skipper stressed that the team is prepared to support him if things do not click immediately.
“Those who are worried about Abhishek Sharma’s form, I am worried about them. I think about the teams he is going to play against. The rest, you already know the answer. You have all seen what happens when he gets going. It’s a team sport, so such things happen. The team’s requirement is that he plays with his identity, so that’s what he is trying to do. If it comes off, good; if not, we are all there to cover it. He covered for us all last year, now it’s our turn,” he said.
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With Abhishek falling early, India have struggled to replicate the powerplay numbers they produced during bilateral series, prompting questions about whether Samson could be drafted in to add a right-handed option to a line-up that has looked vulnerable against off-spin. Suryakumar, however, dismissed that suggestion.
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With Abhishek falling early, India have struggled to replicate the powerplay numbers they produced during bilateral series, prompting questions about whether Samson could be drafted in to add a right-handed option to a line-up that has looked vulnerable against off-spin. Suryakumar, however, dismissed that suggestion.
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“It’s going fine. 40–50 runs in the powerplay is normal cricket. We played so well in the bilaterals… so these expectations are natural. Even from within, there’s that thought that we should score 220 or more. But the wickets are different here in the matches we’ve played so far. Off-spinners have been introduced early into the attack against us, which is different from previous matches. So we’ve started preparing for that. Hopefully, we will tackle it.”
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/Suryakumar fires back at Abhishek Sharma critics, dismisses Sanju Samson talk: ‘I worry about those worried for him’
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