Suryakumar Yadav stays optimistic about Abhishek Sharma`s form despite poor run

Team India are going into the Super 8s with an all-win record, yet there are a few areas they would look to iron out before the knockout stage. 

The biggest concern is the form of Abhishek Sharma and the vulnerability of the top order against spinners. The second is the fielding, especially catching, which has been rather poor. As for the bowling, they are well endowed, with Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, and Washington Sundar on the bench.

Abhishek Sharma

Surely, the team management would like Abhishek to regain the form he displayed against South Africa in the bilateral series a few months back. At the pre-match media interaction, skipper Suryakumar Yadav said, “I am confident he will be among runs soon. But even otherwise, there is no panic. He was blasting runs and covering up for other batters who could not get going in the last series. Now we are all there to cover up for him.”

He further said, “In every match there have been a couple of batters who have taken up the responsibility when others have failed. With Ishan Kishan in scintillating form, Tilak Varma, me, and down to Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, each has the capability to take the match away single-handedly.”

When asked if power hitters like Dube and Pandya could be sent up the order, he said, “Much depends on the start we get. If we are just a couple of wickets down in the 14th over or so, surely we can think of promoting Dube and Hardik. In fact, barring the openers, the other batters realise they have to be flexible depending on the situation of the game.”